Le Manoir du diable
by Impaculate
Summary: Warning:OC! An attack at the Opera House has sent Belle and Nero on the chase after "The man in Red", both fighting to find out secrets that leaves them with questions of what they're fighting for and why Belle has a connection to "The man in Red"...
1. Mouches Écarlates

A/N:Awesome, my first DMC4 fic starring with my very own awesome OC Belle (Bell) Matre. Bell had dark brunette hair that almost seems black and some strands are a bit curly, deep honey brown eyes which are kinda big and makes her look adorable in a way, and fair skin complection. She wears the standard white robes of the Order uniform, but the front of the white robe stops right at her mid thighs while the back stops at the back of her knees and she has no sleeves on the robes. And underneath the robe she wears a black pants (I can't describe what sort of pants they are so I'll go with the pants that Sakura Haruno from Naruto wears) that reach just below her knee caps and finally dark brown boots that are slightly high-heeled. She's also very short, a head shorter than Kyrie (which annoys her) but takes advantage of it with her speed.

Okay, since that is good to go with, I think we are prepared to begin this awesome of story of DMC4 with my OC and I hope you all will enjoy this! Thank you and read!

* * *

It was dark, like how it always started with an important day. The Opera House where the Order of the Sword is conducting a ceremony, you sat in the crown, watching Kyrie as the lights finally dimmed before there was a bright spotlight and you admired how beautiful she looked.

The famous songstress of the ceremony looked about her people before her eyes landed on you, you offer her a smile and she returned the gesture.

You looked at the empty seat next to you and sighed, that stupid white-haired jerk hasn't arrived yet, probably ran into trouble on the way... like always. Looking over he crowd in search of Nero but there still was no sign of the young man before she began her beautiful rondo.

You crossed your arms, eyes searching as well for that certian white-haired youth and if he were to dare show up late for Kyrie's song, you were sure to kick his ass later that day. You sighed heavily as Kyrie's song was coming to an end and you knew you were going to kick Nero like no tomorrow but you noticed Kyrie look your way but not directly towards you, making you look to the side and jump to see Nero sitting by you without notice.

"You just like to show up at the last minute don't you?" you rolled your eyes.

"Is that a lecture I hear?" he raised a brow while smirking.

"Just wait my dear friend, you're gonna get it." you warn him as the crowd began clapping for Kyrie's performance.

After a minute later, Kyrie joined you and Nero. The man just ignored her while listening to his loud headphones that were blaring music, Kyrie looked a bit upset until she looked down and spotted a long blue box which you barely noticed and gave Nero a knowing nudge which he glared at you while looking away as Kyrie sat next to Nero so he was between you and Kyrie and listening as Sanctus began his speech.

"So," Nero began as the old leader of the Order of the Sword kept on with his speech. "what was your hometown like?"

Again, that question.

"I told you before," you giggled quietly. "I don't remember."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing."

It was a mystery to Nero and everyone, including yourself. You were found at the shores of the island when you were 5 years old, you had no idea where you were from and why you were found alone with no one around. You had no mother or father, you were lost, alone, and confused of where you were and scared as well.

Credo, at the age of 12, was the first to find you and take you to Fortuna where you were later to introduced to both 7-year-olds Kyrie and Nero and the family had welcomed you with open and warm arms as they had did to Nero long ago.

The doctors had stated you had Amnesia, having found a bump on your head after an examination. They said the only thing that would help you regain memories was when you would be able to find something that had connection to you of your past events but that was impossible seeing as you came alone with no items and only wearing a dirty white sundress. But it didn't bother anyone, the family were still happy to have you in the family and would never regret doing so as you made life a bit more comfortable...

"Nero," your head shot up from Kryie's voice and noticed that Nero was on his feet. "what's wrong?"

"I'm outta here." he replied.

"But it's not over yet." Kyrie told him.

"All this preaching is putting me to sleep." he complained.

"Oh, you would just love some bad guy to pop out of the ceiling with guns blazing eh?" you rolled your eyes.

"Anything better than this."

Just when he's about to leave, Nero suddenly stopped, making you and Kyrie give him confused looks of why he stopped before the young Knight looked up abruptly towards the ceiling and the glass-stained windows from above shattered into hundreds of pieces. Through the shattered glass, a man with a dark attire and red coat jumped from the ceiling before landing in front of Sanctus, who was taken by surprise of the sudden ambush.

"I didn't mean it litteraly!" you shriek at Nero.

**_BANG!!_**

A shot was heard and those that had their heads bowed finally looked up from the sudden noise of the glass shattering and gun fired, it all happened too quickly. People rose from their seats and began a mass panic, everyone was running, screaming, and escaping from the murderer of their Holiness. The man in red stood before his face turned to you all, blood splattered over his features but when you saw his face, it seemed as though timed stilled for a moment.

Where have you seen that face before?

It was like an old film that the poeple from the late 1940's played in black and white while the screen was buggy and jumpy, there stood a man in red similiar to this one only he was younger, almost to Nero's age but still older and wearing a different attire of black and red. Next to him was a little girl with blond hair and blue eyes, she wore a simple dress of pink and she smiled sweetly.

Who were those people?

"Belle!"

Nero grabbed your hand as he ushered Kyrie, she seemed to have dropped her box when you noticed that her hands were empty. You looked back and you were in shock and awe of what you saw, the man in red was definantly kicking ass with every guard and killing them off easily one at a time.

Nero kept pulling you, getting closer to the exit with Kyrie in front of him, rushing through the paniced people but your eyes never left the man in red. The way he moved, the way he struck his blade foward, and the way he took his stance, it was all too familiar, but where?!

When most of the guards had been wiped out, the man's attention went back to the dead Sanctus who was being held by Credo, who was too busy to notice the approaching murderer. Your eyes widen, you had to help Credo, your idol and brother-like man as well as your great comrade.

"Credo!" you shout before wretching your hand from Nero's grasp and running to aid Credo.

"Belle!" Kyrie and Nero shouted.

One of the guards stood up and proceeded to attack the man in red from behind but the guy had eyes at the back of his head when he deflected the attack and slashed the man in the chest who fell back and crashed into you, making you fall on your back. You slowly sat up from the hard fall, rubbing the back of your hair from the hard floor before noticing a shadow loomed over you, you looked up with wide eyes when the man in red stared down at you.

His eyes seemed to have clicked something, like there had meaning to it when he stared down at you with an emotion you were unfamiliar with and before he could reach down to you, he was suddenly kicked by two booted feet in the face and flew back and Nero landed before you, pulling out his double-barreled gun Blue Rose and shot two bullets that the man in red defleced and landed ontop of the statue.

Nero jumped kicked the man's sword deeper into the Saviour's statue's head and both pulled their weapons, Nero bearing Blue Rose and the other bearing two guns, one black and the other white. Those weapons, they all looked familiar to you in a distant memory.

"Nero!" Kyrie called with worry as she rushed foward and helped you up.

"Kyrie! Go with your brother and get outta here!" Nero ordered.

"I will return with help, you stall him until then!" Credo ordered back.

"Just take Kyrie and Belle already!"

* * *

**Nero's POV**

Just as Credo, Kyrie, and Belle left the Opera House, Nero returned his gaze towards the man before him, ready to shout his head and paint the walls with his brain. Thinking about Belle's comment of the choices he would have made between boring speeches from the old man and the guy-with-guns-blazing, it was actually funny when she had hit dead center what this guy was just planning.

"I won't hold my breathe." Nero flicked the blazing headphones off.

**_Bang!_**

And the fight began, Nero shot again when the man dodged the first bullet and he dodge again when jumping in the air but the white-haired youth was persistant and jumped in the air after him, spreading his legs to catch him by wrapping them around the man's waist (which looked so wrong by others but yaoi fangirls squeel from).

Nero and the man manuvered in the air, mostly of the boy avoided being shot in the face before the pulled apart and Nero flung the man towards the statue and the man in red landed again, trying to get his sword but blocked another attack from Nero by kicking the sword, only for it to flip in the air before the man in red caught it.

Nero dodged the man's blow with Blue Rose, since he had been between falling from the statue and sword, and given the force the attack, Nero was sent rolling harshly before stopping between the middle of the statue and sword.

Looking up, Nero gave another shot that made the man land on the Saviour's hands and Nero struggled to push the sword before the handle gave through and it was timbering down. As it was falling and the man still stood ontop, Nero ran foward, shooting a few multiple times.

Dodging another attack, they both kicked the other away and landed on opposite sides of the Opera House and watched as the dust rose and disappeared as the sword had collided heavily on the floor. Nero aimed Blue rose again, watching as the man in red who flew in from Belle's predictions (hahaha), murdered the leader, and attempted to hurt his dear childhood friend, and a friend's brother.

"You got a jacked up notion of fair play pal, and it's beginning to piss me off."

And their fight continued...


	2. Chasse

A/N:Was the last one okay? I tried as much as I could to describe Nero's fight with Dante at the beginning before it went all instructions of how to use weapons on me. Anyway, now that the last one is over with I will continue this now awesome story and I hope most of you like it, just so you know, I love doing it in the person's 2nd POV so those who are uncomfortable of that reading style, I apologize. Please continue and read away to your heart's content, enjoy!

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

Credo seemed to have taken his time before reaching the Opera House with full reinforcment and this time, you were armed to the teeth with your weapon, everyone was armed with the same single-edge motor blade with gold deisgns but yours was different from the other weapons. You were always not fast to draw both a sword and gun and so the problem was solved when Credo came up with the solution that worked both ways.

Twin Gun Blades

They were long katanas and at the handle there was pistole handle connected to the blade and you could easily surprise the enemy with your bullets. You were surprised and grateful of Credo's gift, you carried these weapons each side to your waist and they bother were criss-crossed at the back of your waist and ready to be drawn and used for battle (I got the idea when watching Wiess from FFVII:DOC).

Upon reaching the Oper House, it was empty but severly damaged from left to right. The benches were shattered, the stadium layed in crumbles, the statue was partially destroyed, and the Opera House layed in ruins. You let a sigh as you looked around at the damage before turning back to Kyrie who dragged the weapon and decided to help her, walking over and picking the large luggage at one side before you and her walked easily through before reaching Nero.

"You brought this here for me?"

"Credo called it in actually." you corrected while glancing at the general, he gave a small glance over his shoulders before looking away, trying to act tough as always.

"She yearns for your touch." Kyrie added with her adoring smile.

"Thanks. This blade's the best battle companion a swordsman could wish for."

Nero flipped the luggage with one hand easily, you look away and stepped foward before walking towards the statue of the destroyed Saviour before you stood next to Credo who inspected the area with disappointment in his eyes of the sacred place. You couldn't help but stare where you last saw the man in red, he had been perched on the arm of the Saviour with his guns aimed at Nero.

"Belle, I have a mission for you." you turned to Credo.

"Yes sir?"

"You have to track down and capture this man-"

"Are you kidding me?!"

You and Credo looked back to Nero, having his sword, the Red Queen, resting over his shoulders and his eyes narrowed at Credo.

"What's wrong now?" you ask.

"That guy isn't human! You can't just let her go off after that bastard, she could easily be killed!"

"Nero-" you snap but stopped when Credo raised an arm in front of you while staring at Nero.

"Alright, you go along with her then. I'm sure that even if I tried to pair you with someone you would give them trouble."

"Y-yes sir." you nod in agreement.

"Tch. Just don't slow me down midget."

"Shut up you old man!"

"Say that again and YOU'LL be the one who's gonna get it!"

Kyrie giggled from the sidelines, wearing her new gift that was a necklace she dropped a while ago. Credo merely rolled his eyes from the childish behaviour displayed before him until his and everyone's attention snapped when the building tremored slightly, making a few dust fall before it stilled. You turned towards the door before running through the doors until stopping at the steps, looking around for the cause of trouble.

"Someone help me!" someone shouted.

You spot a man limping tiredly from around the fountian, before you could help the man, a hand stopped your shoulder and you were surprised when a Scarecrow attacked the innocent citizen. You looked away from the gore and noticed Credo was the one that held you back from getting injured by the ambush and Nero with Kyrie behind him, also frightened of the demon. Then people began to run, trying to escape from the demons that was slaughtering those who were less fortunate.

"Is this him?" Nero asked.

"I... I'm not sure." Credo replied with a bit of hesitance.

"It can't be, a guy like that doesn't seem that way." you mutter.

Nero looked away from the scene and towards Kyrie from behind his shoulder, she was still frightened of the massacre and you couldn't blame her, you were still a girl that had the emotions of fear as well and it was making your stomach twist from the inside until it felt like you were going to puke at any given moment if the scene became to horrofic. Nero looked foward determined to wipe the floor with these demons of daring to scare dear Kyrie.

"Credo. Take care of Kyrie. I got this!" Nero turned the throttle of Red Queen and the engines roared and you could feel the heat from the weapon.

"Okay, let's get this party more riled up." you comment as you pulled back the trigger of one of the Gun Blades.

"We must evacuate the residents back to Headquarters! Report back as soon as you can and be careful!" Credo shouted after you and Nero ran into battle.

"I got it already!" Nero yelled back, sounding irritated as he slashed through the hords of demons.

As Kyrie helped the people go through the gates, she spotted a young boy crying over the corpses of his dead parents until a Scarecrow spotted the boy, Kyrie ran to the child and the demons jumped in fro the attack. She held the child in her arms, prepared to die a painful death and before the edge of the Scarecrow's sword until Nero appeared, slashing them away before he looked over his shoulders.

"Go! Get outta here!"

"Nero!"

Kyrie stood and led the boy away before leading the boy away from danger, glancning over her shoulder to you and Nero who fought through the hordes of demons and prayed for your safety. When Nero made sure that Kyrie was far away, he turned his attention towards the demon with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Not so fast." Nero muttered as he pulled the sleeve that his he once slinged arm.

A glowing blue arm with red thick armor over it was revealed. His arm stretched towards the nearest demon, swinging it in the air as it threw back the demons in the air as well before he swung it again and hit the demons that were hit to the air and they all crashed to the top of the gate's entrance/exit and it blocked the demons from escaping through to go after Kyrie and the others as it as well crushed those who even tried to cross through the gates.

Nero kicked the demons sky high, grabbing Red Queen he whirled around as the demons began to fall close to the floor and all demons were caught at the edge of Nero's blade under he turned the engine throttle and they all burned into crisp from Red Queen's firing engine. Slashing more through the demons, he stabbed into a nearby one before stepping on it and thrusted the throttle so it seemed as if he were surfting on the demon, knocking others out of the way.

When reaching at the end of the ride, he used the demon he rode on and through it against the other demons and they all flew, hitting a nearby gate that they had come from before the irons gates fell and crushed the demons below. No more demons were around now, they all had disappeared from the youthful Knight's sword.

"This baby can sure pack a punch." Nero stretched his arm while looking down at it with pride until he looked up and spotted you, you just stood there silently, watching him but your eyes were focused on his arm. "Belle...!"

"... Your arm." you whisper.

Nero watched you with wide eyes, how stupid of him! Now he knew he was going to be brought in for questioning and then everyone would now think lowly of him more than they already did, especially Kyrie, Credo, and you. You stepped foward, surprising him as he backed away but you came foward until reaching his side and slowly and hesitatingly touched his arm, to see if it burned before you grabbed his arm. Running your fingers and brushing them agaisnt his glowing fingers, tracing every curve of the red armor and touching the cool and soft blue part of the arm.

"Belle, I-"

"I-It's okay." you cut him off. "I'm just... a bit put off that you like to show up and make people jealous."

"... Do hate me?"

"Let's see," you look up at him with a small smile. "I've been taken and welcomed into a family of strangers with three people I grew up to love and cherish and one of them always picks on me but always protects and looks after me and when I'm always in a bind, he always comes and rescues me... What do you think?"

"Heh." Nero smiled to himself. "Kyrie really has rubbed off on that scared little midget I used to know."

"Shut up, old man."

"I'm warning you!"

"C'mon, we got someone to track down, remember?" you turn away and continue on the hunt for the man in red.

Going through a nearby door, you found the room crashed and portions of the stairs missing. You sighed heavily before beginning your climb with Nero behind you, but unknown to you, Nero didn't seem to mind the view he was given from behind, especially when you would bend over but he really hated the tail of your white robe. Once reaching the top floor and through the hallways, you and Nero stopped when bright red comwebs appeared to trap you from going on and going out where you and Nero came from and looked down at the sight of empty rags that resembled to the Scarecrows you and him faced multiple times.

That was until black swarms of demonic bugs filled the empty rags and gave it life to reveal the common demons, you pulled out a Gun Blade and aimed at a nearby Scarecrow and shot the first fire before blocking one of them from behind with your other Gun Blade, Nero dodge rolled from an attack from behind and easily obliterated the sucker with two slams from his demonic arm.

You used your one hand and kicked the one that you blocked from down under and kicked it in the air and while in your hand stand, you shot the demon a few times before it exploded into goo and black demon bugs. You jumped to avoid another sneak attack, running up to one before jumping and it's sack-head between your legs before you bend backwards so you were in another hand stand before you slammed hard to thr ground and shot it's head. You look back to Nero and see he was done as well.

"Shall we go?" you nod towards the now suitable hallway.

"Go we shall." he replied while easily picking you up by the white hoodie of your robe before letting it go and you continued on.

Reaching to the otherside of the door, you stopped and gawked at what you saw, and Nero, who was behind you, pushed you foward to see what was going on before he stopped as well to look in horror of the sigh before him. Down below, there was numerous Scarecrows that were wreaking havoc, many cars and buses were destroyed and were in flames while the Scarcrows laughed and it looked as if they were having a party.

"Whoa." was the only thing you could say.

"Damn bastards..." Nero growled under his breath while his teeth were grinding harshly, he was obviously angry.

"C'mon, we have a mission to do." you pull on his demon arm and he relunctantly followed you through a nearby door.

You and Nero came upon a building which you and him were restricted of, it was unknown but you both never questioned it. As you both walked down the stairs, you noticed something glowing at the end of the otherside of the huge room, you walked towards it before you stopped and looked around, there was benches facing towards the floating object. It looked like a crystal ball with the jaws and hollow nose of a skull and it looked very suspicious. Why was such a thing in possession of the Order? All things related to the demons and devils were evil (excluding Nero of course).

As Nero watched it with curiousity, he reached out with his demonic arm to touch it but was quickly pulled away from a rough pull by his hood and his whipped around to face you.

"What are you doing?!" he snapped.

"Question is, what are YOU doing?! Do you even know what it is!"

"Of course I do!"

"Oh yeah?" you crossed your arm and tapped your foot in waiting for the answer.

"... It's... well... You know..." Nero looked back at the object and back to you. "... It's something important..."

"Oh yeah, I'm surely getting all this memo in my had." you sarcastically tell him with rolled eyes.

"Ah whatever, I don't need a reason!" Nero whipped around and procceeded to grab the unknown object.

"Nero, no!"

He easily snatched the floating skeleton globe, you both snap your heads up when hearing a noise and looked to see that the pedestal holding the floating object suddenly died down and there was no light and no more further functioning. Your eyes snapped to Nero with an accusing jabbed finger towards him.

"You done it now! Something's gonna happen and I know it!" you shriek.

"Give me a break Belle-"

The skeleton globe in his hand then materialized in his hand and radiated brightly, your eyes widen and he stared at the demon arm with shock before his arm shot up and a blast of light appeared, making you fall back in your bum from surprise. You gulped nervously from the sudden light, Nero checked his arm before turning to your slightly shaken form, he kneeled to your side.

"You okay?"

"Stupid!"

**_Bonk!_**

"Ow! What the hell?!"

"I told you something was gonna happen!"

"Oh shut up..."

Nero helped you up to your feet once again, deciding to find another way out instead of using the door you came through and found that the other door happened to be one upstairs and out of reach. Nero sighed, letting you do the work as you searched for clues of a secret entrance/exit which he rolled his eyes at and leaned by some nearby rail but something caught at the corner of his eyes, he looked up and noticed there was light.

_'Huh?'_

As he stood straight, he narrowed his eyes and that light seemed similiar to the skeleton globe he had in his hands once. Nero looked at his arm before his mind clicked, he shot his head up to you.

"Belle! Get over here, I found a way."

"Really? It better not involve dynamite because I had to wash my uniform for weeks to get the stains off!"

"What? I told you it was by desperate measures!"

"To escape Credo's rampage when you crashed the Order's ceremony and made him look bad and you got yourself cornered in a nearby cave while I was forcefully involved of something I didn't do?"

"Let it go! It was a long time ago!"

"Oh but it has been carved into mine and Credo's brain and we both will take it to our dying day."

"You just love to bitch about anything."

"Hey, I'm a girl, do the math."

Nero grabbed your waist, surprsing you before raising his arm towards the light and grabbed it, and it worked! He jumped to the second floor with you in his arms and you both were standing, you nodded in satisfaction which he smirked in pleasure. The same happened as he repeated when you and him had to jump through a gap and you both find your way through in another hall that showed the chaotic streets of Fortuna.

Again, he grabbed you by the waist and you both flew as he grabbed another light and ended up at someone's patio and unfortunately, the view was not perfect when two Scarecrows appeared. You grabbed your Gun Blade and slashed the ground until it hit the Scarecrow, making it fly into the air before you stood beneath it and shot it numerous times, not letting it drop until it exploded. Nero meanwhile, pulled the other Scarecrow and the demon met with Red Queen's tip as it was impaled by the stomach before it was slammed around like some hammer before it disappeared.

Nero, once again, grabbed your waist and you both flew across the street before landing at a small courtyard with a small pool and more Scarecrows attacked.

"Ain't this the best Nero?" you shout from the loud shooting.

"Hell yeah!" he replied enthusiastically.

You jumped in the air, using a nearby Scarecrow to make you jump higher in the air before flipping out the twin Gun Blades and shooting at their one leg before landing and running through while slashing before stopping abruptly and could hear the sounds of bodies dropping before putting away your twin weapons. Nero of course finished dispatching his share of Scarescrows before he nodded and led the way through a nearby gate.

"I can already tell this is gonna be one hell of a party." Nero commented which made you stop.

"What did you say...?" you whisper quietly.

"Huh?" Nero turned to you. "What?"

"N-nothing... Nothing at all." you shake your head before walking past him.

Nero was of course unbelieving of your stuttering and unsure tone. His eyes narrowed at your back before he thought back to his previous fight with the stranger that broke in the Oper House and at the end of their fight. It was all too weird but he couldn't shake off the memory of those last few words he exchanged with the mysterious man in red.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Nero glared up at the ceiling where the man in red was sitting calmly with his legs crossed as if the situation they were in was unfazing to the older man. Cocky guy was Nero's impression but who was he to say, others have called him that too, even Belle had said so out loud when they completed a mission._

_"Though I suspect you carry something different from the others." said the older white-haired man._

_"What are you talking about?" Nero demanded._

_"You'll come to learn the meaning soon enough. But... business beckons." the man stood up. "Besides, things turned pretty good to my favor..."_

_"What are you talking about now?!" Nero shouted, frustrated from all the confusion._

_"Your lady friend," Nero's eyes widen. "Belle... she may not remember much but, I think that's for me to decide whether she wants to remember me or not."_

_And he turned away._

_"Hey!" Nero shouted, pulling out Blue Rose and shooting the spot where the man once stood._

_The man appeared at another open part of the shattered glasses, giving a mock salute. "Adios kid!"_

_And this time, he was gone._

* * *

_'Who the hell is he... and how does he know...?'_ Nero watched you.

He would have to make sure to keep his guard up and eyes open for that man, especially when he and you would finally catch up to him.


	3. La conquête de Conquiert

A/N:Okay, that turned out well (for me anyway). So, we begin where Nero's on a mission to hunt the "Man in Red" with my OC, Belle, and it is revealed that Dante has connection to Belle and she does not remember the man. Hmmm, very suspicious here, anyway, we get to learn more as the persuit of said man in red continues and more mysteries of Belle's lost memories and Nero's gaining knowlege of the Order of the Sword...

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

After some trouble of how to get down a long ledge, you and Nero made way through a quiet alley until again, you both were introduced to the Scarecrows. Nero of course wanted to handle it and Red Queen was pushed to a triple full throttle and it was glowing a heat of fire before Nero released a whirlwind of fire and the demons were crisped to ashes.

"Good work." you complimented.

"As always." he chuckles.

"Cocky jerk."

Nero decided to ignore that and continued on his way with you following through the empty market streets. You both went through a small tunnel and appeared in another part of the streets, you and Nero walked down a few stairs before going through iron doors that led through a dark tunnel. Going through the dark tunnel and at the end of the tunnel you found yourself to be facing a dock with numerous boats parked.

"Well," Nero began as he stared at a brige that had been left raised. "guess we're gonna have to peek inside and see if there's a switch to get across."

"We're not gonna swim, are we?" you asked with wide eyes.

"Please, I have this." Nero scoffed while showing off his demonic arm.

"Show off."

"And proud of it."

Nero grabbed you by the waist and grabbed a light that had shined when Nero got into position before you both flew over the waters and reached the ledge of the other dock and Nero started for the warehouse. You watched with uncertianty, you knew that from every horror movie you've seen that involved creepy, quiet, and abandoned warehouses meant trouble.

Once inside the dark warehouse, you pulled out your twin Gun Blades and sure enough, Nero rolled away in time to avoid being beheaded by another time of Scarecrows, they had their sythes on their legs instead.

You jumped in the air, shooting the Scarescrows before one of them snuck behind you and grazed your leg, you did a split on the floor and shot those that surrounded you by their legs, making them fall on their oversized bellies before falling on your back and spinning quick with your legs raised in the air to kick the demons in the faces before jumping up and finishing them of by beheading each one. Nero sliced through the middle, making them fly in the air momentarily before he shot them or jumped with them to slice them apart while in midair.

Finishing off the creatures, Nero studies a nearby radiant statue before getting frustrated with it and slicing it and surprisngly, that's all it needed. Arrows appeared, aiming at the circle and Nero continued to slice until the arrows that surrounded the circle spinned around before striking the circle and the red barriers disappeared and you and Nero climbed the way up to where the switches might be.

You watched Nero amusingly by the door, arms crossed. He pressed random buttons, tapped a few things, pulled a few levers, but nothing happened to the gate. Nero again pressed a few things, switched some switches, and pulled some other levers until he slammed his hand, cursing out loud before turning away and before he reached you, he pulled out his gun and shot the controls, smirking before turning away and putting the gun back under his coat but stopped when the brige began to move.

"Well, I guess you're right about few things Nero. Violence is the answer to most problems." you chuckle before turning away and heading back down with Nero following.

After going through the warehouse, past some more Scarecrows and flying over the sea of water again, you both were standing before some more Scarecrows that were limping about on the large dock but of course, they won't be limping for long after you and Nero were through with them. Fighting your way throught, you gained a few more cuts, but nothing too serious and meanwhile, Nero remained untouched with the power of his demonic arm which you were coming to call as... Devil Bringer.

"Okay, that's the last of 'em, c'mon Belle."

"Yeah." you huffed out before following him.

"What, you tired? Does someone need a nap? Looks like this "old guy" can do much better than you."

"..."

"What? Cat got ya tongue?"

"Wow... You finally admit you're an old man."

"Wha-SHUT UP!!"

You laughed as you walked across the bridge with a flustered Nero behind you. You both entered through another tunnel that led to an empty railing room, Nero spotted another light and grabbed hold of your waist before you both flung up and landed at the edge. As you both reached another iron door, your skin began to grow goosebumps and your spine shivered for a moment from an unknown chill that came.

"What's wrong?"

"I got a bad feeling about this one."

"What's the worse that could happen?"

"Being ambushed by some ultra demon?"

"You and your imagination."

Nero pushed the door open and you both walked some stairs before stopping at the entrance of an abandoned town where the wooden houses looked as though they could fall apart at any moment. The wind blew, the dust in the wind making it a bit hard to breathe from the sandy air. You and Nero walked until reaching almost at the middle of the town before Nero groaned.

"Let me guess, more demons?"

Up on a hill, there stood a large black gate and you watched it cautiously. Then there was a loud and powerful tremor, you almost felt back but Nero caught your arm and held you close so you wouldn't fall until the middle of the black gate began to glow until it was on fire and then a creature jumped through and landed before you and Nero! The demon roared into the dark skies, flames errupted over the town and ducked, shielding your face in Nero's chest from the heat and powerful gale and he stood his ground and watched the demon while fanning himself with his one human hand.

**"Ahhh, the human world, It's been a while..."** you looked back now that it was safe (not really) and took in the view of the beast which resembled a centuar but it had a lion's face and it's body was sorta like a rock monster with flames blazing from it and the same could be said with it's large sword.

The fire demon walked foward and Nero walked past you and towards the demon, you watched curiously before your curiousity turned intoa gawking expression as the demon completely ignored Nero and walked past him as Nero safely walked passed the demon. And no surprise that the demon walked past you, not even sparing a glance and you sighed in relief that the beast did not bother with you. Nero then pulled out Red Queen before whirling it around and then large gales bursted to rid the town's fire and all was dark, excluding the demon made of fire of course.

**"How curious..."** now the attention was on you and Nero.

_'Great Nero, why don't you just put a sign on us that say; "Please Kill US!".'_ you sarcastically thought.

"Fire's not good for the complexion. I burn easily, never tan." Nero said tauntingly as he fanned himself again.

**"When I came to this world, two thousand years ago, there was no such human as the likes of you."** the demon stated as he came closer to you and Nero.

"Wanna make it another two thousand?" Nero mockingly suggested.

**"SILENCE!"** the beast roared as it lunged it's sword towards you both.

"Oh shit!" you covered your eyes for the worst as a 10ft large burning sword came at you and Nero.

But Nero was quick to draw out his blade and it was stopped by the burning blade of the monster. You opened your eyes and made a small gasp of surprise at the strength that Nero had against the demon, you guessed that was why Nero was always so good at his job that he preferred to do it alone.

**"Futile pests, you will suffer the wrath of Berial! I, the conqueror of the Fire Hell!"**

You and Nero split to confuse the beast, Berial attacked you first witha swing of his large sword and you rolled over from the giant sword that swept over you briefly. Nero took the chance to stretch his arm and fly to the demon's face before slashing at the demon's face, making the beast cry out in pain and it blindly swung the large sword, making it hard to predict where it would swing.

You ran towards Berial and slid on your knees and beneath the beast before shooting at the stomach until slashing at the hind of his legs, making the demon fall back from his injured legs but as you stopped, the tail slammed down and you rolled away in time to dodge of being crushed. The tail repeated again and again until you summersalted backwards when it came down and you used the opportunity to climb the tail and on the demon's back before stabbing your blade at the back of Berial.

**"ARGH!! You puny human! You'll become ash!"**

"Huh?"

You looked down and noticed that the body began to glow and the heat became more heated up, your eyes widen when you knew what the demon was attempting. You were suddenly grabbed from the waist and hauled off but some of the flames that exploded from Berial's body burned your righ arm, you felt yourself caught in someone's and you cried in pain as you looked at your steaming, bleeding right shoulder.

Nero had caught you in time with his Devil Bringer when he heard what Berial was up to and was not quick enough when he saw your bleeding and burned arm. Nero carefully set your down before his attention went back to Berial who flicked your weapons off his back and turned to Nero. Nero, angered that his friend had become injured, twisted the throttle of Red Queen before charging into battle to finish the fight.

You watched in awe as Nero sliced through every part the giant demon left open, dodging the swings of the sword before Nero sliced the demon in the chest and the radiant fire surrounding Berial disappeared leaving Berial weak as the demon crumpled on his front knees and Nero grabbed the demon by the horns before slowy lifting him in the air with the power of his demonic arm before slamming hard down on the ground, making you jump where you sat from the loud tremor.

**"Your arm... you are not human!"** Berial stood on his feet weakly, tired of the fight.

"Don't ask." Nero looked at his arm like always. "Damn thing drives me crazy though."

**"You are just like he was..."** Berial said, confusing Nero.

"And 'he' would be?" Nero asked with his eyes narrowed at the demon suspiciously.

**"I must restore my powers!"** Berial then turned into air of fire, Nero shouted as the demon jumped back through the black gates in retreat and disappeared, leaving the town destroyed and dark.

Nero turned back to your sitting and quiet form. "Belle, you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little wee burning, nothing to kill me." you joked.

"That's not funny." he seriously told you.

"C'mon Nero. Without pain, how do we hope to learn from our mistakes and how we try to get them right the second our chance comes?" you wisely told him as you pulled out a small bag from your small back you hand on your belt that holds your Gun Blades.

"Where'd these come from?" he asked as you pulled out some cream and bandages.

"Unlike you, I listen to Credo to always carry things that would prepare you in any case scenario." you smirked.

"Tch. "Credo" this, "Credo" that! What, you in love with him?"

"..." your breath caught and your eyes widen.

"... Holy shit, Belle-"

"SHUT UP!!"

**_SMACK!!_**

"OW!!"

You blushed furiously as you fixed yourself while Nero suffered a possible broken nose that kept flowing with blood. The nerve of that jerk to ask such a question! You were NOT in love with Credo, your superior General, your close comrade, your close friend, and...

"Belle..."

"What? What do you want?" you snapped at him harshly.

"Do you have anything that treats broken noses?"


	4. Château de la Neige

A/N:Okay, last time I left you guys when we found out a little of Belle's "likes" that Nero laughed at (or so it would seem *wink*wink*). Anyway, so after the battle with Berial they would set out towards the Mines and into the frozen castle beyond, okay now I'll stop writing and let you read away. Thank you and enjoy!

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

"This place is creepy."

"Suck it up like a man!"

**_Smack!_**

"Sorry, my bad."

"And it's cold."

"How did you even get in the Order of the Sword with your complaints? And I can't believe Credo chose you of all people to go after that guy."

"Shut up! He just had good faith in me and I thank Sparda for this chance to prove that I'm good."

"Oh please, you just want his attention-"

**_Smack!_**

"Would you quit hitting me?!"

You ignored a red-faced Nero, handprints covered all over his face from the few "well-deserved" slaps that Nero found himself with when saying the wrong things to anger you. You and your "precious" fascination and crush on Credo really bothered him, he wouldn't admit it but he was a tad bit envy of that kind of attention he would want. It was usually he would be finding fascination with Kyrie and she just was too care-free to notice, it was funny watching another person like himself go through the same. What was so good about that uptight guy anyway?

Your choice of love, Nero decided, was very strange... and annoying to him.

**"Wahahahaha!"**

"Oh great, here they come." you mutter before bringing out your Gun Blades.

Nero scoffed and immediatly went to work for the daily routine of demon extermination. You sliced trhough three at the same time with you long katana before shooting the fourth demon and swung with all your might and they all smacked into a nearby wall and you swiped through the middle of their sack body and theya ll exploded with flying goo which you quickly dodged from in disgust and Nero easily finished his own share like always. This guy was untouchable and such a show off that he attracted attention both good and bad, mostly bad.

_'Stupid Nero...'_

"C'mon Belle. We got more climbing to do."

You groaned when looking up at a long waterfall with damaged shacks people could stand on. You got wet a little, which was very unfortunate seeing as you were in a WHITE robe and Nero had a hard time trying to look away and his face was now red for another reason other than getting slapped. After walking around through the mines a bit longer did you finally become dry but you couldn't take the shudder and cold off. When you and Nero reached another tunnel did the temperature drop and you were shivering from the cold as you tucked your hand under your armpits to warm them but you arms and legs were bare to the cold.

"Alright Belle, c'mere."

You find yourself tucked in Nero's coat, walking with him as he led the way through the blizzard that blew in harshly, you stayed close to the most warmth you could take in as you hid in the trenchcoat and slowly after walking on for a few minutes did the breeze calm and you were able to peek your head out from the jacket to see the beautiful view of the full moon and a great view of a giant castle.

"Wow..."

"Come on." Nero pressed on.

You and Nero came to a broken bridge, stopping at the very edge and peeked over the winter wonderland below, and there was nothing down in the snowy valley. You jumped when there was a tremor, making you whip around and away from Nero's warm coat as you saw the tower that stood over the bridge collapse and your eyes widen when the tower broke the bridge and you found yourself free-falling. Nero caught you in time and you held onto his neck before he landed in the soft snow.

"Belle! You okay?"

"Y-yeah, just spooked. What happened?" you asked as you looked back to the now destroyed bridge until spotting the cause of the dilemma, two of them to be exact. "Oh no..."

"What?" he looked up. "What the..."

"Frosts."

"What?"

"Unlike you, I actually payed attention when they were teaching us the numerous types of demons that inhabit the island so we could prepare to take the creature out of it's weakness."

"Tch. Teacher's pet."

"Senior drop-out!"

"Mini bookworm!"

You quickly kicked Nero away, who suddenly cried out in surprise but saw that the Frost demon stabbed itself in the ground where you and he once stood before you both landed and the other Frost landed before Nero while the other that attacked earlier faced you. You pulled out your Gun Blades and pulled their triggers before shooting crazy at the approuching beast that creatred an ice barrier before it teleported in an ice statue form before breaking and surprising you with an attack from it's icey claws.

Nero jumped over an attack from the second Frost, grabbing it's tail with his Devil Bringer before spiraling the beast in the air before slamming it down, slamming it around like a hammer in different places before he threw it so it collided with a few stone pillars that were still standing in the snow. He smirked and walked towards the struggling beast that was trying to get on it's feet.

Back to you, the Frost whipped it's tail wildly, you dodged roll before shooting it a bit more, dodging again by crossing your blades like an "X" and you fell on your knees from the force. You lunged foward and jumped it on the knee before stabbing the Frost in the chest with your Gun Blades and it shrieked in pain before you pressed your foot on it's shoulder before jumping backward to avoid another attack and your Gun Blades in hand before shooting at the Frost in the face a few times before it fell down in a cry and shattered like broken glass.

_'Man, this is getting tougher and tougher, good thing I didn't come alone...! Nero!'_

You look back to Nero and sigh in relief to see him walking back while dragging the remains of the Frost's tail that slowly shattered like the other demon before it disappeared from his grip. He looked around and saw the pile of shattered body before his gaze went back.

"This is actually the first time I saw you in the field. For a midget, you're holding yourself out there."

"SHUT UP! I'M NOT A MIDGET!"

_'Right, go ahead and ignore my complimenting mood.'_ Nero rolled his eyes at your dense and angered form.

You hugged yourself again, legs shaking before Nero cocked a brow before he opened one side of his coat in gesture of enviting you back into his warm coat and you silently agreed as you quietly walked over and tucked yourself, sighing in content of the warmth. Nero mentally laughed, you looked really cute at that moment, he shook his head before continuing on towards a large bridge, checking for it's stable, not wanting to repeat what happened earlier before walking on the bridge with you closely following in his coat.

Getting closer to the giant castle, Nero began to slow his pace which made you stop and look up in question before you heard something that made you and Nero look up towards the skies to see a Scarecrow falling from the high tower of the castle and Nero pulled out his gun and aimed but you quickly grabbed his wrist and stop him.

"What are you-"

"Look." you point at the Scarecrow.

Nero looked again and his eyes narrowed when something had been latched onto the Scarecrow before his eyes slowly widen to see a person in a white attire. Your eyes widen when you and Nero followed the personw whoe spiraled in the air with the Scarecrow still latched on before the Scarecrow landed harshly on the bridge's surface, making the fallen snow on the bridge fly in the air before the legs of demon were split to reveal a dark-skinned woman with bright brlue eyes and chin-length snow-white hair. You stared at her, gawking for two reasons.

1.) What the hell was she thinking of going around in a skimpy dress in a weather like this?!

2.) And what the HELL is she thinking of wearing something so revealing! Does she have no shame?

Extra point, you were jealous of her figure and her awesome skills of taking down a demon with ease.

Demons surrounded the woman, you were about to intervene but the woman flipped backwards, pulling the demon for a shield when one of them striked at her, she kept jumping, avoidng being hit once by any of the Scarecrows before one of the japped it's sythe and she split her legs to dodge it and you gawked again of that position. She capatures the sythe with her feet before flipping over with the Scarecrow slipped over as well and she pulled something from under her leg which turned out to be a weird dagger/boomerang weapon. She killed the demon she had in her grasp, jumping to slice another with her own high-heels and manuvering to kill more.

She high jumped and kicked one with both legs, another Scarecrow behind her tried in for a strike but she had her one leg strike the other Scarecrow and at the same time, all Scarecrows jumped in to finish her. She looked unfazed and suddenly flipped in the air like some tornado of blades with her high heels, killing and throwing back the demons, stabbing the demons on the ground before her. A demon sneaked another attack, she of course bended backwards and the sythe just barely brushed her round breasts, tossing her blade in the air before her other hand caught it and slit through it's sack body and the fight was finished.

Not!

A demon attacked in the air, ready to take her out but before the Scarecrow could land a hit, it was blow to bits by two bullets and it exploded. She looked back and her eyes landed on Nero and you, with your head showing from his jacket, you weren't going out in the cold unless neccessary, you decided.

"I owe you thanks." she said with a smile.

She began to walk foward, and you gawked at her courage to walk through the snow in that very revealing dress, and why did she make it seem as though she was doing a catwalk?

"You're from the Order...?" Nero asked with a suspicious look. "I've never seen you before."

"I'm new." she raised her hand for him to shake. "Gloria."

She gave him a wink, you mentally smirked evilly and looked back to Nero who just looked elsewhere, he probably found it a bit uncomfortable to be flirted with a complete stranger. Not wanting to be rude, you stuck your hand out and took hers and she finally noticed you, you mentally rolled your eyes, people tended to miss you from your, cursing, small size.

"Oh? Didn't seem to see you there sweetheart." Gloria joked.

"Nobody does." Nero added with an evil smirk of his own.

**_Smack!_**

"Dammit Belle!"

"Nero, you sadistic bastard!"

"Just be grateful I even let you in my coat!"

"You're Nero, right?" Gloria directed her attention to the white-haired Knight. "I've heard rumors."

"Hasn't everyone?" he narrowed his eyes, he could recall very "fond" memories with his co-workers.

"Quite a few in fact, and none too flattering."

Nero looked back to the castle. "So, what's the deal? Where are they all coming from?"

"It's strange... No matter the number you kill, more will come."

While Nero had been distracted and not noticing what Gloria was doing and when he looked back did he picked it a bad time to see her stretching her leg out to put away her weapon. Nero looked away, bothered, and you snickered mentally in your coat at the funny reactions that Nero made. Nero was a prude on most things (sorry, I just had to put a little of Ichigo Kurosaki persona in Nero) and it was just hilarious to watch Nero struggle in situations as these since he seemed to be very loyal and close to Kyrie.

"Then I'll leave that chore to you. We've got some personal slaying to take care of." Nero made a quick excuse to get away which you thought was very impressive.

"I'll join with the others, we'll take care of them." Gloria began to back away and you see a demon figiting but she quickly killed it with the slam of her deadly high heels, she looked back to you and Nero and smiled. "May the Saviour be with you on your journey."

"Heh. Saviour..." you hear Nero say under his breathe and his tone was something not to be happy at the mention of the dark knight Sparda. He left you in the cold when you did not follow, obviously he was in a bad mood and you were wise not to bother him and kept your distance.

"You have your hands full." Gloria commented.

"Yeah, well, after some long years hanging around him, you get around." you laugh nervously.

"... Good to see you again Belle." you heard her whisper.

"Huh?" you turned around while asking what she meant but froze when you see that she no longer stood behind you and had disappeared like the wind. "What does she mean... again...?"

You shake your head, turning towards where Nero left to before running off, your mind still confused what she meant by her words but it was probably a little hallucination from the cold of the freezing tundra. You followed inside and stop from the sight, it was a large manor and ahead there was a large portrait of the poor deceased Sanctus. You sighed quietly from the warmth the castle offered before walking down the steps, looking for Nero to be found anywhere, you really wished you would have followed him so you wouldn't be in a situation such as this...

_'Great, now where did that jerk run off to?'_

There was no point looking around in the empty manor before you started towards one of the oak doors, if Nero was gonna play tough, then you would play tough and go your own way, that jerk was just so frustrating when he wanted to be alone, you were beginning to think that you yourself were becoming one of those people that Nero ditched to do his job... but that didn't sound like him, he wouldn't really leave you behind and all alone... would he...?

_'No! Nevermind him! You were sole purpose to find and hunt down that man and capture him, no more of these crazy ideals!'_

You walked through the dark corridors of the empty, dark hall that only dimmed from the pale moonlight above in the cold skies. Your every step echoed in the halls of the castle, you listened for anything but nothing came and it was beginning to slowly creep you and a small tingle shot through your spine. Your hands rested on the handle of your twin Gun Blades, just in case an attack came and when you reached the middle of a dark hall, did you stop when you felt yourself being watched.

_'What's going on...? Am I... being followed?!'_

Your eyes widen, you may have been trained and experienced in fighting but you were still a fresh graduate of the Order and you still had that deep fear of what within the shadows of every dark room or hall. Your hands shook, the back of your neck started to raise, and goosebumps started to cover over your skin before you quickly drew your two Gun Blades and twisted around and aimed to fire at the creature that watched you only to freeze what you saw.

A mirror.

"Aw man, I'm pathetic-"

**_Pat!_**

"WAHH!!"

**_BANG!!_**

**_BANG!!_**

"HOLY SHIT!! WATCH IT!!"

"NERO!!"

Nero had slammed himself in the wall, with his back bent slightly backwards to avoid a bullet in the head and his right leg raised to dodge a bullet going into his leg. The bullet holes steamed as he stood there in taht awkward poistion, glaring at you and shaken from you almost shooting the poor youth. You pulled back your Gun Blades as he straightened himself, adjusting his coat and dusting off the dust that fell from the wall's fragments.

"Man, you're jumpy."

"Don't you EVER sneak up on me like that!" you scold him. "I could have killed you!"

"Yeah, I figured that when I saw two bullets coming right at me."

"Jerk, just... just don't leave me back there..." you mutter quietly and softly.

"Yeah... sorry." he apologized while patting your head. "C'mon, let's go and this time, stay close alright?"

"Yeah, sure." you nod obidiently before you followed him.

Walking through the hall, you and Nero picked a random door and found yourself through a narrow pool room and that water was just at the length of your ankles. But of course, you and Nero were not alone when the Scarecrows appeared once again and you both engaged into battle. After some few long minutes, all the Scarecrows were dispatched and taken care of letting the seal from the open doorway to open and you and Nero continued on. As you walked through, you stopped when spotting a crack in the wall and you immediatly backed into a wall and slid from there towards the stairway.

Nero, brash as always, walked calmly behind you and towards the stairs, why did he always have to act like he was so cool and there was nothing in the world that could scare him (other than half-naked women).

You followed him up the stairs, Nero didn't bother with a glowing statue that you stared at with curiousity and interest before being dragged by the hood of your robe and being pulled away by the white-haired youth. When you reached the next area, you stopped by Nero to look down and see the narrow pool room where you and Nero previously had been, and unknown by your human eyes, you did not see the glowing orbs that Nero would see to fling from one place to another.

"Alright, lets go."

"You're not gonna jump are you? There's spikes up there and I don't wanna be impaled!"

"Just shut up and hold on."

You went behind him, grabbing onto his neck as he carried your small (cursed) form on his back and latched on the orb before flinging to one place to another and repeated to do so, dodging every tricky, blinking orb before finally reaching across the narrow room and he put you down as you walked with him towards a nearby door. Walking through, you found yourself in the upper level of the manor of the castle you earlier found yourself in.

You went to the ledge but jumped from the ripple of a blue barrier, you hestitantly touch it and see that it rippled a bright blue before disappearing. Nero led the way towards the portrait of Sanctus, Nero glared at it before going through a nearby door and you offered a small prayer before following after the angsty Knight. You ended in a hall and turned the corner and you groan to see the blizzary weather just a little away and Nero chuckled before he walked foward with you to follow behind him and you both were greeted with familiar ice demons.

"Now I'm starting to miss my old chores." you mutter.

"What? Too much for little Ms. Matre?" Nero mocked.

"Shut it or I'll shove that glowstick up your arsenal." you threatened him.

"Tch." Nero smirked.

You shot your first bullets while Nero charged the Red Queen before she began to glow a heated red before he dashed foward and whirled around with fire spiraling and burning the Frosts, who shrieked and cried in pain. You run and jump from Nero's back and into the air and sliced through their torsos when landing on the ground and flipped your Gun Blades to your belt and watched as the Frosts collapsed and disappeared into a pile of ice.

"Nice climax, lets go."

"Yeah!"

You and Nero found that you were in some courtyard and that there was a larger waterfall, bigger than the one from the mines and it roared loudly from miles away and you followed Nero down some stairs, across some small fountian against a wall then up some stairs before reaching some familiar trail with another snowy courtyard in the middle to be again greeted with more Frosts.

You and Nero got through them easily and went through the hall and you sighed in the warmth before Nero came to a circle that you had seen back in the old warehouse Nero tried to put the bridge down and since Nero knew what he was dealing with, did the honors of slicing the circle and the arrows appeared before they spiraled and hit dead center and the blue barrier around disappeared.

You noticed that there was another door, a green one and you walked towards it and Nero followed. You both were in a fancy room with numerous pictures but it was all ruined when more Scarecrows and Frosts attacked. You were tired from the cold and the constant fighting and Nero insisted you backed down on this fight, you refused at first but he was very firm and you found yourself hiding for cover and watched while Nero took care of the problem and it wasn't long unil he was done and the seals disappeared.

"You okay, you don't look okay."

"Same could be said with you."

You treated Nero's small cuts, he was watching the room cautiously and you couldn't blame him. The room creeped you out from the light and the swinging of the chandileer (sp?) and it looked very freaky in a way. You quickly did his wounds and you both were up and again, outside in the cold and he just found it humerous when you suffered in the cold while turning blue and shaking like leaf in the strong blistery days Fortuna would have in the Autumn. You and Nero walked until reaching the end of some room and it was open for you and Nero to enter to find it was a library and you jumped when the doors behind you both closed and a blue seal glowed, indicating that you and Nero were not getting out of the library easily.

What a bummer...

"Didn't figure this guy as a bookworm." Nero looked at the numerous books while flipping some pages with Blue Rose.

"Of course Nero, I'm sure you never seem to notice someone with intellect." you sarcastically mutter.

As you look around some more, did you noticed a bright red book hidden within some books and it looked like it didn't belong and curious as you were, you picked the book from the shelf and looked through some old pages before stopping a hand-written page and you read the first paragraph.

**I've captured what I've been looking for!**

You read on some more, curious what this person captured.

**It took some time, some precision, and stradegy but I finally caught what I had been eager for the past months and it was sure to work what I've been holding for many years. I know this would work, I know this would be the chance that would come as if a dream came to reality. I will succeed this life-long mission that I've been prepared for since I discovered the truth of becoming something more than my weak shell. I will become... a God!**

_'Huh?'_ you blinked, reading some more.

**It will take some time, I am a pacient man, but I know that the son of Sparda will come. He will come in search for what he lost, he would come to gain his precious treasure...**

**He will come for-**

**_Clank!_**

You flipped around and come face-to-face with an armored soldier, he stood taller than Nero and your left eyes twitched from annoyance. The armor watched you before his attention turned towards Nero, who had Blue Rose pointing at the armored knight before he flipped it over.

"That's one way to get shot." he turned back to the books. "So you after this guy too, or you here to catch some demons?"

The armored knight said nothing but moved past you and towards Nero.

"Silent type, huh?" Nero scoffed. "Well that's... annoying."

Suddenly, before you could say anything, the armored knight lunged his lance foward towards Nero but Nero was quick to catch the lance between a book and the lance was mere inches away from his face, glaring at the armored knight.

"So much for the friendly banter."

The armor pulled the lance, swiping the air which Nero ducked and it crushed a wooden globe, then striked in the middle for Nero but Nero jumped away, and it crushed the table in the middle, pages scattered everywhere and you pulled out your Gun Blades when noticing that three more had appeared in the air while using the shield as wings and they glowed blue.

"If you wanna fight, then come on!" Nero challenged while twisting the handle and hearing the roars of the engines.


	5. Grenouille de Saut

A/N:Was the last one okay? I hope so, sorry if I left ya guys in a cliffhanger in the ending but don't worry, more exciting and better theings will come and you're gonna enjoy it! Anyway, please go ahead and review if you like and continue on this awesome story, thank you and enjoy!

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

"Well... *huff*... that was some work-out."

**_Shunk!_**

Nero stared at the last remaining armored angel, it's body standing for a moment before it collapsed on the floor and the helmet fell, revealing to be a hollow armor and the head rolled to Nero's feet. The white-haired youth kneeled over and grabbed the helmet by it;s horns, observing it before he looked back to the now glowing armor that began to disappear into thin air like all foes from the darkness do.

"Empty... A demon possessing the Order's armor..." Nero stood up, dusting his hands from the invisible dust as he stared at the spot where the armor-possessed demon once was. "That's not a good sign."

You jump when a hidden door opened, making you look back to find another pedestal where it was glowing and inside was an odd mechanism that floated in the air, peeking at Nero who stared curiously at the tool, you knew too well that there was no point in trying to convince the guy to stop touching things that had yet to be known. You turned back to the direction of the book while Nero entered the chamber of the glowing pedestal, and you sighed in disappointment that throughout your fight against the armored soldiers, the books were ruined, the pages were scattered, and everything was torn to shreds, rendering it useless for you to continue a search for what you had been reading.

What you read was disturbing and... something familiar.

Was your mind hallucinating, or was there something else in the missing link between your mind that invilved something that happened in the past you could not recall...?

**_CRASH!!_**

You jump with wide eyes and whirled around to find the once sealed, glowing door destroyed and leaving an opening and there by it's side was a floating, sharp sort of iron rod that stood over 10 ft. tall and had sharp blades. You looked back to Nero and see a ghost of his devil bringer and it seemed that he may have punched the thing from the power of the new tool that was now gone from the pedestal.

"What? Did I scare you?" he smirked.

"Oh, I'll give ya a scare alright." you narrowed your eyes, cracking your knuckles before moving towards the surprised Knights...

* * *

**Later**

"Did you really have to do that?!"

"It was necessary."

"Necessary?! YOU were throwing books all over the place and 8 of them smacked into my head and FACE!"

"Suck it up you wuss!"

"What did you call ME?!?"

Reaching the manor of the castle, you noticed another rod with sharp blades, you poked Nero on the arm and pointed at the iron rod and he nodded when he knew that another breakable object was seen in the middle of the manor. Jumping off the side of the rail, he landed and went towards the split stairs that led to the iron rod before he hit it with his devil bringer and it sprang to life, hitting it with Red Queen twice to make it fast and more dangerous, Nero hit the rod and jumped quickly to another rail to avoid being hit and watched in amusement of how this seemed like good ol' pinball.

You had to admit, that was pretty funny how the iron rod banged against a few pillars before it shot to the middle of the manor and crashed into the glowing crypt before it came to the stop, making it safe to go down below and join Nero. You stared to see it was stone circle, you sighed, you stepped on it and hoped that something would happen but after a few seconds, you looked back to Nero and shook your head while shrugging and Nero shook his head while giving out an annoyed groan.

"C'mon, let's figure a way to get this shit working."

"Right." you nod before jumping off the circle and following Nero.

Going through the same hall, filled with familiar Scarecrows. They were all easily dealt with and you continued on with Nero and found that at the end of the hall there was a glowing seal you had seen from the sealed library and knew that if another iron rod was nearby and crash that one and see where that would lead. Until then, you and Nero entered trhough another door and came across inside a long dinner table that you would usually see in those fancy festivals for only the highest of royalty would be in.

You remember attending one when you were 11, wearing a white dress and your long hair up in a nice bun, Credo was your guide and Nero, who flat-out refused to come and look formal but with some persuasion from you and Kyrie, who wore a lovely white and grey dress and her hair down and curly, he came along grudgingly.

"Belle!"

You duck in time to miss a long lance from missing where your head once was, you kicked the feet of who was next to you and see it was another armor soldier. You kick their face, making them fly in the air before you jumped high, spiraling before giving it a hard kick in it's plated chest and watched as it crashed and disappeared. You landed on the table, back-flipped from the two other armored soldiers that smashed the tables and seats as well as the dishes.

Nero caught you when you flipped backwards and shot twice of each armored soldier before he carried you bridal style and threw you foward so you kick each the armored soldier in the faces and landed on the ground perfectly on your feet.

As the armored soldiers were distracted from your kick, they both were finished with a final blow through their chests by Red Queen and Nero was by your side from his slashing dash and stood straigh before putting away his sword.

"Nice move."

"Thanks."

The seal on the door opened and you bother entered. Looking around, it was empty, you stepped foward at an open, and dark hallway before stopping and sniffing the air. Nero noticed and he too sniffed, also noticing how it oddly smelled of burnt ash. Your eyes widen to see a huge fireball coming towards you, your honey brown eyes reflected the orange in them as the fireball came closer until you were abruptly pulled away and found yourself crushed to Nero's chest and in his arms as you watched the fireball crash into a black wall that smelled strongly of ash.

"That... was pretty close."

"No shit, Sherlock." you sigh before noticing that Nero's arms were wrapped around your waist tightly. "Uh... you can let go now."

"...?" he looked down at you and noticed his arms before he quickly lets go. "Uh...! Let's just figure how to get past this."

"Right... and here's the first hint. Iron rod behind us." you pointed at a nearby iron rod.

"Yeah, let's go with that." he muttered, not facing you as he walked towards the iron rod and doing his magic.

The rod shielding you and Nero from being burned alive, the iron rod covered you and Nero hit the iron rod so it spinned of it's blade and Nero gave it a good hit before it crashed into what made the fireballs and the machine crashed and was destroyed. A blue seal then disappeared, to reveal a long oak door and Nero, unafraid, walked through easily and you both were back in the hall, only behind the iron gates that blocked a iron rod and entrance through this part of the hall. Scarecrows appeared again, and Nero and you were in another fight against the hordes once again.

Finishing the demons, you drew your twin Gun Blades towards the circle that glowed and shot them numerous times before the arrows sliced in the middle like always and the entrance of the gates came down and there was opening. Nero groaned for the demons that kept popping up but once look at the iron rod cheered his mood up and he hit the iron rod twice before letting all hell lose and the halls were filled of puddle of green goo and nothing more.

Nero took care of the two iron rods, leading them to the middle of the hall where there awaited another blocked door where two iron blades stoo over glowing circles and when Nero placed the two iron rods in position, the blue seal disappeared and all entrance to the oak door proved access.

"Alrighty then! Let's go!" you pumped your fist in the air with a determined look in your face and eyes.

"You know... you worry me sometimes." Nero commented.

**_Smack!_**

"I'm serious! CUT THAT OUT!!"

You ignored a red-faced Nero before opening the door wide only to find a large gust of wind and bitterly cold snow burst through you and you quickly closed the door as soon as it opened and pressed your back against the door with your eyes widen and teeth chattering quickly. Nero laughed at your expression, earning a childish glare from you, he came to you and pulled you to him, hiding you under his coat before opening it and entering through a familiar courtyard where you had seen twice only from the upper level but that's when you heard something... a voice...

Was someone out there...?

A echoe of women laughing, you looked ahead and spot two glowing demonesses and your eyes widen to see something that young children were not allowed. Nero narrowed his eyes, a small red tint forming on his cheeks before he shielding your eyes from the view to save you from the mental scars.

"This blizzard must be these demons..." Nero said.

"Blizzards, demons! I don't care, make 'em stop!" you squeeked from under his coat.

"Alright, hold on."

"Huh?"

You yelped when Nero carried you with one arm and you could hear him slicing and cutting, meaning he was fighting the two demons. After a few seconds, you decided to peek and you see him concentrated on killing them, not noticing that something within the stormy snow that something was watching and ready to pounce. Your eyes landed on a large shape and let out a shriek.

"Nero! Behind you!"

Nero looked back and jumped away in time to avoid being swallowed whole by a giant white demon, ice shards sticking from it's back and rows of the teeth ready to devour and rip you and Nero to shreds along with red eyes glaring down at you both. Nero glared at the demon, setting you down gently and you pulled out of his coat so you were in open, despite the cold, you were not going to burden Nero from your small weaknesses.

"So this is what you really look like." Nero commented.

**"You're smarter than you look, with a smart mouth to match!"** the giant demon said, green saliva spluttering out of his mouth which made you stand behind Nero for some reason.

"Cut me some slack! I'm just not big on toads." you shout back, still hiding behind Nero.

Yes, Nero recalled, he had once brought in something for your 7th birthday and brought in a toad for a present and it resulted with you crying, Kyrie not talking to Nero for a whole week, and Credo giving Nero some hard training for scaring you to death of the scary-looking toad.

**"FOOOOOL!"** it shouted. **"You think I care what you say?!"**

You were wise to use Nero as a shield as he was covered in gooey slime, he glared at you before wiping his clothes before glaring up at the demon for sputtering disgusting saliva on him.

"If I don't finish this quickly, it's gonna scar me for life!" Nero said out loud before turning to give you glare. "And not be used a shield for your personal interest!"

"What can I say? From looking and hearing it, it grosses me out." you shrug.

**"I WILL CRUSH YOU!!"**

"Bring it ugly! It'll be nasty but we're gonna swat ya down!" you shouted back challengingly.

The toad demon jumped and attempted to crush you both but you and Nero dodged by jumped seperate ways. You pull out your twin Gun Blades and began shooting to distract it and it worked as it charged towards you with it's jaws opened but of course you were surprised when it's tongue shot out and wrapped around you before pulling it towards it's mouth and from the otherside, Nero watched in horror and shock of what just happened.

"BELLE!!!"

The demon turned to face the now angry knight but Nero stopped himself from attacking when he noticed there was faint shouting and slight movement from the cheeks and stretching chin of the toad. From his point of view, it looked kinda funny to see you struggling from inside and kicking and shouting before suddenly the toad roared out in pain and it's mouth opened and Nero's humor doubled to see you wrestling with the demon's sensetive tongue!

_'The Order is gonna love this!'_ Nero thought.

"Take that! And THAT!! AND THIS!!" you kicked the tongue.

**"GAAAHHH!! STOP IT!!!"**

"HYA!!!" you shout. "Not good enough, eh?! Well eat THIS!!"

You pulled out your Gun Blades and fired beyond the tongue and blood flew before you flew out when Nero grabbed you in time from his devil bringer. The toad shook it's head before angerily using the two demons that were connected to him as if they were his antenna's and it grew dark and the demon hid in the mist and you and Nero seperated again to fight your own demon woman.

After a few minutes of slashing the weak demons, you and Nero dodged an attacked the toad and the toad blew out ice shards and you dodged them and Nero jumped in the air before stretching his arm out and the demon arm grew before slamming at the demon's head and it jumped back creating a cloud of snow dust.

It attacked with one of the antennas but it was caught by Nero's devil bringer and he threw the demon on it's back, shocking you but it wasn't over yet, Nero spinned the demon before the antenna snapped and the demon woman was still Nero's arm before it was absorbed in his devil bringer.

**"You think... you've... beaten me?!"** the toad asks with disgust. **"Never! You piece... of-"**

"That's exactly what I think." Nero fisted his devil bringer before his attention went to the struggling toad that was still on it's back.

**"My brothers... will come... they-"** the toad was cut off when Nero jumped in the air, pulling his armback and like before, the devil bringer was summoned and it slammed between the demon's eyes and the toad and it flew in the air, spinning before colliding at the side of the courtyard before it fell and died.

"C'mon, that's just nasty-Wait, did he say "brothers"?" you blink.

Nero and you looked curiously towards the open purple Hellgate and your eyes widen to see the coming six dark-colored demons that looked similiar to the white demon and they were coming in close.

"Uh-oh..." you shrink.

"Oh, that's fair!" Nero sarcastically muttered. "Now we've got to fight a whole herd of these things?"

"Here I come!" you shout as you ran towards the dead, jumping before using it to bounce, Nero followed quickly so nothing bad would happen, like almost getting eaten (that cracked me up!) and he aimed a kick just as you did and you both slammed your feets together towards the first demon that attempted the cross through all demon toads were knocked down likes pins by a bowling ball. Then Nero landed near some glowing light and slammed his hand on it.

"Sorry pal, we're closed."

A gate nearby came down to reveal an open door, you looked back to Nero and offered a thumbs-up which replies by silence and brushes past you, making you watch him confused. He walked towards the door before stopping and slightly glancing over his shoulder.

"Hey Belle."

"What?"

"You think there's a shower somewhere, 'cause you really stink."

"WHAT?!?"

Nero dashed, giving a headstart while you ran in after him, going to catch and strangle the bastard...


	6. Folie Souterraine

A/N:Okay, last one was pretty funny and I hope this one turns out interesting for you guys (and myself of course). Thanks for thre reviews my fellow DMC fans and let more secrets, truths, and adventure blossom before you as we cover more ground with Belle, my precious OC! Thank you and enjoy my fanfic!

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

"Man, I should have never watched those scaries movies with you last night!"

"What? That movie was a total cheese!"

You were back again in your little cacoon, Nero's coat. After some running, punching, screaming, and smacking did things finally calm down but Nero was left with red marks all over his face... AGAIN! If this rate kept up, Kyrie would be asking if Nero had been having a major sun tan in the sun too long. But he had to admit, he did deserve that since the total "you stink" fiasco and if Nero every learned a lesson, it was to never insult a girl about her smell.

But here you are, under his coat again and this time complaining how the dark halls were giving you the creeps, he rolled his eyes, you've been fighting through hordes of demons and this castle was the only that scared you? To Kyrie, you were a girlfriend she could always talk to and laugh with, to Nero, you were a confusing puzzle that has yet to be intercepeted and to Credo... he didn't want to think that over with.

"Oh nooo..." you moaned and duck your head back in the coat for cover.

Nero had out in a snow covered cemetary. He remembered at one point when you and himself were still students of the Order. A group of cocky teenagers went to fight some demons in a nearby, creepy cemetary and you, being a proud and cocky bookworm, joined in. Being a sort of guardian, he followed but he was quick to catch on that the teens had been planning to ditch you just to scare the tar out of you... and it worked.

You had been running out of the cemetary, crying for being left alone and that a demon had come up out of nowhere. Nero replied to this cruel joke when the next day, all kids that he remembered were hospitalized for a week and never were you bothered with again and Nero made it a fair warning to the rest of the teens that messed around just to freak you out any more.

"Don't worry, I'm right here." Nero said as he pats the huge lump on the right side of his body that replied with a "oof". He walked foward and you followed from underneath, not wanting to see anymore graves. Suddenly, Nero stopped and made a move to look back, and being curious, peeked out and see the door you both came from but nothing was there.

_**Shaaaa...**_

"Okay!" you squeel while jumping out in the cold. "I had enough, let's quickly get the hell outta here!"

"Calm down-"

"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?!?" you were hysterical by now. "No, don't tell me calm down! You better move you butt or else I'll drag your angsty ass down this freakin's snow if I have to!"

Before Nero could retort back, he paused and looked down at his stomach which you did as well when your eyes widen to see a head sticking out. Nero just watched with awe as the thing fazed through him and stared face-to-face. The head was red with big oval round eyes that stared into Nero's own steel grey. You watched with a gawking expression before you could jab a finger and shout out the most ridiculous statement that Nero has ever heard his entire life;

"OH MY GOD, NERO'S PREGNANT!!"

Paniced already as it was, you turned and ran a random direction while screaming your head off, Nero called after you but you were out of hearing range. The cloacked demon fazed through Nero before it headed towards the direction you ran, the graveyard. Another demon appeared and it followed after towards your paniced form, Nero groaned angerily before pulling out his guns and shooting at the demons he dealt with a few times in his previous missions; Mephisto.

"Belle! Get down!"

You listened this time and missed being sliced by sharp spears from the Mephisto, you quickly crawled over the snow where you cowered against the stone of a grave, you closed your eyes and covered your ears from the loud banging. You hated graveyards, even if you were to die, you didn't want to be burried in one, after what happened that night when you were left alone in the place of the dead, it scares you.

You jumped when a hand tapped your shoulder, you looked up to see Nero kneeling in front of you. You made a small sniffle, your eyes were watery from the panic and fear of the graveyard and sudden attack, his eyes soften before he offered a pat on the head in assurance you were safe and besides, while you were busy in panic, Nero took the liberty to destroy the gravestones while killing the Mephistos.

"Let's go, we're almost there."

And you followed him back, this time stable and composed. You apologized about the comment earlier and earned a grunt from that, making you cheer up a bit from the humor but of course you would destroy this bastard if he planned to tell Credo and Kryie what had just happened. Into a room full of the demon soldiers also known as Bianco Angelo, they came in but they were dealt with from the power of Nero's devil bringer and your tatic skills (mostly Nero's devil bringer).

You and Nero ended up in another room but a familiar one, it was the room where there was glowing lights that Nero could see and jump around with spikes in the cieling. In front of one of those iron rods, also known as Gyro Blades, Nero found the circle again and did his usual thing. The gates opened in front of the Gyro Blade and the cieling shifted down to make a road now for both you and Nero and he used the Gryo Blade to punch the object to life before hitting and it went to the other room across and you and Nero followed it. Reaching the room, it was where the staircase was and the young Knight hit the Gyro Blade once again only for it to hit the glowing blue stone hedge and everything broke, making Nero fall down and crash through the cracked floor.

"Nero!!" you shout.

"Wait there!" he shouted back as he fell to the dark pit.

And you obeyed, Nero knew much more what he was doing and besides, if you followed him, you would falling to your death! There was no way you could survive a long fall down and with Nero's new power, he was pretty much okay with falling off bottomless pits. You jumped at the noise of gun shots, hearing it numerously echoe from the dark pit before it stopped and everything was in silence.

Then before you knew it, Nero jumped from the dark pit and landed by your side, you sighed in relief of his safety as he gave you his usual cocky smirk when he accomplished something. You smile and punched him playfully on his shoulder before he pulled you back and led you down the familiar halls where the Scarecrows and Frosts awaited but they were left nothing when you and Nero were trhough with them.

Entering back in the castle's manor, you watched as Nero drew closer to the circle in the middle of the broken stone coffin and as he grew close, it glowed, making you wonder what it reacted to.

"Hey Nero, how'd you-"

"Misson first, questions later." he replied as he grabbed your wait and stepped on the circle.

"Hey! What are you-Whoa!"

Nero suddenly jumped higher than he usualy did and landed on the giant chandileer (sp?) that hung from the cieling. He still held on to you, making you follow him as he took a closer look at the nearly sliced ropbe before turning his gaze towards the picture of Santus before an evil smirk made way to his face and your eyes widen what he was thinking and you struggled against his grip.

"Let go, let go, let go, let gooo!!" you cry out in panic.

"Not so fast." he pulled Red Queen. "You don't wanna miss this Belle."

"No, no, noooo!"

**_SLICE!!_**

"AAAAAAAGGGHHHH!!" you jumped and Nero caught you bridal-style from your panic as you clung to him and closed your eyes while burrying your face in his neck.

**_CRASH!!_**

You peeked back at the damaged only to gawk to see a huge crack and opening in the wall. You look back to Nero with the same expression, unbelievable.

"You... are in BIG trouble when they find out what you did." you mumble.

"Who cares, the old fart's dead anyway." he looked down at you. "And you're just enjoying my attention, huh?"

"Eh?" you blink before realizing you were still being carried by Nero and you were clinging to him. You blushed furiously which made Nero's ego heighten as he smirked even more and he let you down when you struggled in his grip and you made way towards the new opening that Nero made.

"What? Is Belle Matre embarrassed?" Nero teased.

"Shut up or I'll tell Kyrie what you're up to." you warned him.

"Of course, you only find interest with Credo-"

**_Smack!_**

"OW!!"

"Shut up and follow me you mosing bastard."

"I ain't mosing, I'm just stating what's obvious!"

"Well don't state anything obvious that includes my personal life!"

"I bet you even have a shrine of him in your closet..." Nero muttered under his breath.

**_SMACK!_**

"OWW!! GODDAMMIT!!"

Down the stairs and past some steam room, you and Nero were very suspicous. What was held down here and why? Why was this information kept hidden from the people and your friends?

You walked on foward only to stop when reaching the dead end, another similiar bottomless pit that Nero had fell into back in the dark halls of the castle. You jump to feel the devil bringer wrap around you, you look back and Nero as he nods in assurance before bringing you with him as he jumped down and you trusted him not to have you and him be impaled by sharp rocks below or something or else you prayed to Sparda that you would get Nero for this.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

In another castle, in a dark velvet room surrounded by pure white stone and in the middle of the velvet room there stood Credo over the corpse of Sanctus. The old man layed there, peaceful in his eternal sleep... that was until his body began to shudder and jumped wildly, his eyes snapping open to reveal the ominous red glow and the growlings of a demon and yet, Credo watched paciently and worringly of the jumpy body before it stilled in the stone bed.

Then he opened his eyes once more, only they were a calm dull brown.

"You have awakened." Credo greeted.

"Credo." Sanctus slowly said.

"My men are currently in persuit of Dante. It is only a matter of time before his location is revealed." reported the General.

"Ahh... He came to us..." Santus whispered slowly as his thoughts replayed of that moment when he came face-to-face with the white-haired man. "It was fortunate I was able to participate in the "ascension ceremony"."

Meanwhile, a dark-skinned, dark-haired man with one monocle on his right eye came foward into the light, his back hunched over and scribbling furiously on his clipboard before he stood a bit straighter and the sight of Sanctus' recovery and he strode more closer and his dark eyes wide with awe and fascination.

"Ahh... His Holiness...!" he greeted as he overserved the body. "You look maginificent!"

As the white-robed enigma wanted to come closer, Credo stood his ground in a protective manner of Sanctus but this gesture of course angered the dark-skinned man. But of course he had a bone to pick with the young General as word reached of the situation of two certian people.

"You sent that cocky kid, Nero after Dante?"

"You question my authority?" Credo asked with a stern voice.

"Y-Yes!" replied the man. "And y-y-you even dared to drag THAT girl along, of all people! I-I-If they stumble upon my research facility then-"

"Our priority is to capture Dante." Credo cuts in.

"Why you, t-t-t-"

"Credo." called Sanctus.

"Yes, your Holiness." Credo ignored the now silent man as he was surprised from Sanctus' voice.

"Gather everyone... I must ease their minds on this matter."

"Of course." Credo bowed before turning but giving one glance to the dark-skinned man who glared as Credo left out of the velvet room and the dark-skinned man wrote something furiously on his clipcoard and firmly crossing something out.

The dark-skinned man turned to the old leader. "Your Holiness... is it wise to have let Credo send Matre on the mission. After all... I-I-It is why HE is here. Besides, Credo seems to be very close to that girl, too soft that even he might prove problematic."

"No matter how much armor we knights can wear," Sanctus closed his eyes for rest. "there is always a weakness."

And there was silence.

* * *

Falling deeper, you held on tightly for dear life of the rushing wind you felt like when on the collapsing bridge back outside the castle. But you let out a small "ooph!" when landing abruptly and Nero gently set you down on your feet and you opened your eyes to look around that you both were surrounding in a steamed room and it made you cough a bit from it. Nero pulled you and you both entered through a more clearer but there had been a thick gate standing before you two.

Nero stared at it before running and giving it a good kick where it echoed but as Nero flipped in the air and landed back and expected the think to open from force, the door did not respond to any of Nero's action and stood still and proudly as if mocking Nero that the young Knight did nothing!

"Damn it!" Nero cursed before turning away.

_'Now what?'_ you think hard to yourself.

But you were interrupted and Nero stopped his stride as he looked over his shoulder to see that there was sounds of something cutting through and the gates crumbled into pieces to reveal long fins that were marked with glowing crimson and swam through the thick concrete as if it were water and they were sharks.

You and Nero pulled your weapons and began shooting away. You noticed a circling forming below your feet and rolled away in time to dodge one of the Cutlass before shooting it rapidly while it was still in the air and it cried out with his loud shrieking. You quickly moved under and stopped your rapid firing before finishing it off when jumping and slicing it as it fell down and landed on the ground dead.

Nero did the same with his gun but he did more work with his devil bringer, snatching one of them by the fins before jumping in the air, spinning the demon rapidly before slamming it hard on the ground and the Cutlass layed waiting to be cut up and Nero did that as he finished it off with a slice from Red Queen.

The last one was dealing with you and it was tricky, you had to dodge from being hit and slice to pieces. But it succeeded on tricking you as it came from the cieling a slicing you on the back when you tried to dodge, making you trip on your stomach and groan from the sharp pain on the small of your back and you looked back to see a Cutlass coming for you and you closed your eyes for the end but it never came.

_'Huh?'_

You opened your eyes to see it's fin inches from slicing your hip but it was held back from the glowing hand grabbing it before it was pulled from the floor and it shrieked wildly as it was slammed left and right, up and down, before it was slammed to the ground and shot multiple times on the head before it was no more. Nero stood there before he looked back at you and his eyes hard, you carefuly sit on your knees, hissing from the stinging on your back before reaching for your pouch hanging on your belt holding your twin Gun Blades.

"Here, I'll do it." Nero came over to help you.

You hear him kneel behind you, taking the bandages and little medicine from your pouch and you quietly and paciently waited before you flinch from the cool touches of the icey cream. You sighed from the gentle touch, your face heated up when Nero said you were to lift your robes so he could bandage your gash and you hesitantly did so, lifting it until showing just below your breasts. Unknown to you, Nero was red (and not from the slapping), never had he felt like this around you. He was very confused of his emotions, but it wasn't like his first time thinking of this.

Kyrie was a kind and sweethearted girl, she was so lovely, intellegent, and just free. Even in a island full of demons and praying to a Devil who saved humanity, she was an angel.

But you... you were something else. Ever since he could remember Credo coming home from his training and presenting a lost, confused, and scared little girl, Nero felt drawn to this mysterious girl. She was always lost, the same look in her big, innocent eyes.

Kyrie and you were both completely different people, two things that he had been interested in. Knowing Kyrie for most of his whole life, her history in this island, he was still curious of your past, where you had come from, what life you had lead on before living in Fortuna, and what caused you to lose such memories.

But when thinking about what the man had said, about your memories and if he decided to bring you, it made him wonder what connections that white-haired elder had with you. When Nero saw the man reach for you, he thought at first it was an impression to hurt you, but now when Nero thought about it more oberservingly, that man didn't have a weapon aiming towards you when he reached out.

"Belle."

"Y-yeah?" you asked, jumping when hearing Nero's voice.

"Did you remember something...?"

"... What?"

"... Nothing. Forget it." Nero said, tying the bandages as he finished.

Nero decided it was best to leave things forgotten in your case. Even if that mad had the answers for your past and what lied ahead for your future, Nero couldn't shake off the feeling that if the man had met you again and told you something, that you would be taken away from him, Kyrie, and Credo and he would be left behind while you were taken back to where ever it was where you belonged. As selfish as it sounded and very cruel, Nero would not let you gain your memories.

"C'mon, let's go." Nero stood up, helping you up.

Walking through the large tunnel/hall, you and Nero walked through another door only for it to be sealed in blue, you kept walking with Nero only to see many red/yellow/white/blue spots on the floor of the large room. You blinked and jumped when something appeared next to you and you narrowed your eyes suspiciously at the statue that looked like Nero and jumped from the sudden appearance of a giant dice with spikes surrounding it.

"What is this, a board game?!" Nero shouted, annoyed.

"If so..." you looked at the dice with excitement. "I GO FIRST!!"

"Hey-It's not a game!" he shouted at you, annoyed.

"Shut up, you just wanna go first you jerk!"

"It's not funny, Belle!" he argued.

"Bleeh." you stuck your tongue at him before kicking the dice.

"Stop that!"

"Yes!" you jumped, you landed on a six.

The Nero Statute landed on a blue after moving for six times, nothing happened until you were showing with glowing orbs, you were surprised and Nero went to cover you but you gasped and looked over your lower back to see it glowing and then on your shoulder where it had been burned and see it glowing as well. As the green orbs disappeared, you blinked and removed the bandages before looking in awe that you were healed from the green orbs.

"Wow..."

"You... You're healed." Nero inspected the healed skin.

"Oh yeah! Now I can kick ass in full throttle!" you pump your fist in the air.

"This isn't like those super hero shows you watched on television." Nero rolled his eyes.

"Shut up! It wouldn't hurt to have some enthusiasm!" you cross your arms.

"Alright then, my turn." said Nero as he aimed his gun on the dice.

**_Bang!_**

The dice jumped in the air from the bullet before landing on a 3 and the Nero Statue landed on a red light and you had a bad feeling before suddenly two lasers appeared and started chasing after you and Nero. You both ran around, avoiding hitting eachother and the lasers that were on your tails before they disappeared, you huffed from the 5 minute running before slugging Nero's arm, who replied with a groan from annoyance before you went ahead and shot the dice and it again landed on a red where you this had to face demons.

Going through the hell of fighting, then the bliss of healing did you and Nero finally make it at the end as Nero Statue disappeared and the sealed door opened for you and Nero to continue on foward. You and Nero ended up in a strange room, where there was a strange machine in the middle of the room, swords hanging off from the wall, and on the edge there was a glass window to reveal a lab with a sword floating in the light, it was broken.

Your eyes narrowed at the katana blade, there was something familiar about it that you couldn't place your finger on. Something told you this was no ordinary blade, something about it's aura gave off and it gave you chills but at the same time, it was giving you a sense of comfort.

_'What is this feeling... inside me?'_

"So, you've come." said a voice. "Just as I expected."

You snap your head to finally see a man in white robes, dark hair and skin and a monocle hanging from his right eye. He was hunched over, writing something in his clipboard as he walked in front of the glowing sword. Nero, as always, asked the usual question when dealing with a total suspicious looking stranger;

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Agnus." the man did a formal bow. "Working in secrecy, very few are p-p-p-privy to my existence."

"Funny, to figure an Order Official out for a stroll in a hellhole kinda place like this..."

_'Nero... you just can't control that temper of yours.'_

" "Hellhole" ?! Watch your words!" Agnus jabbed a finger at Nero in anger.

Nero only scoffed and looked elsewhere to find better interest than hear another of those usual lectures he would hear when trouble with his fellow Knights from the Order had enough of his bad-mouthing.

"Just as foul-mouthed as I had heard... the rumors prove true. As will the new ones concerning your d-d-d-demise!"

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh?" you stepped up for the first time to Agnus finally see you. "Killing him because of the way he t-t-t-t-t-talks?"

Nero wanted to give you a thumbs-up for that.

"Oh, his fate is of no importance but of yours, it will be the beginning of your end, 'Angelo Rotto'."

Your eyes widen. "Wha... What did you call me...?"

_'The beginning of her end...?'_ Nero thought in shock of what were the plans from Agnus to you.

"Heh." Agnus smirked before flicking his arm.

You and Nero looked around to see swords that hung around the room come to life and more coming through open cracks on the wall and they blade split open to reveal flying demons disguised as blades.

"Great." said Nero. "More demons."

"This, this is all Credo's doing." you stopped from your watching on the demons towards Agnus. "It was Credo who ordered you to follow Dante..."

_'Dante?'_

Another image came, like an old film, there was an image of an older man in a black trenchcoat and hat, the same blong girl only she wore a cap, a sweater, jeans, and a small pack. She wasn't the only little girl, next to her was another girl only smaller and having short hair, shoulder-length. She too wore a coat, pants, but no cap. Both girls were standing before a desk where there sat a man in a red and black attire, white hair hanging over his steel blue eyes.

Then the image turned to where they were at an opera house, both girls standing and watching a show not for children. Shadows of demonic figures jumping around and a lone figure of a man with guns blazing and a large sword slashing. Then behind the smaller girl, a shadowy figure reached out to her and-

"It was Credo who brought you here!" Agnus brought you out of your memory daze.

"SHUT UP!! WE CAME ON OUR OWN!!" you shouted in defense of Credo, not believing your ears.

"Dante?!" Nero looked up to Agnus. "You mean the man who killed His Holiness? What the hell is going on here?!"

"I don't have to answer to you." Agnus replied. "For you are already good as d-d-d-d-dead."

"I beg to differ." Nero scoffed.

Before you could do anything, two of the demon swords impaled themselved on your white robes and pinned you to the wall but there was no other demonic swords coming after you to finish a blow. You looked back at Nero who atttempted to set you free but the demon swords prevented him so and he had to be watching his own back. You looked back to Agnus who had his watch on you.

"Nero! Forget me! Get Agnus!" you ordered.

"Tch, better not die on me!" Nero yelled before proceeding to break the windows while fighting of the demons swords which you helped with shooting them when some sneeked up on Nero.

Nero fought hard against the thick glass, startling Agnus when each parts of the window cracking up and most Nero used the demon blades with his devil bringer to slam them to the window so it would break more. Agnus would press some devise that made the room making a sound of alert before the room would bring electrocution and Nero yelled from the shock.

"Nero! Get up!" you shouted.

"... Grr... Shut up and let me handle this!" Nero huffed out before continuing to fight the demonic swords and breaking the window at the same time before finally... it shattered! Nero jumped to the window where Agnus fell back from in surprise, crawling away on his back.

"Tha-tha-that's the demonic power!" Agnus pointed out seeing Nero's arm. "How can it be...?"

"Look who's talking jackass! Answer my question, what the hell is going on here?"

Agnus ignored Nero while looking at the devil bringer in awe. "How profound... It's magnificent!"

Backing up in slight surprise, Nero glared at the man. "Ok, did you even hear me?"

Nero swung his blade at Agnus but surprisingly the evil mad scientist caught the Red Queen with just the tip of his fingers and Nero pulled his blade but Agnus had them in a tight grip.

"If you want answers, then I shall give them to you." Agnus finally lets go. "It has only been a few years since I began this research... Could we isolate and bind demonic power? It could enable us to conquer the world! And that, that is the wish of his Holiness."

"What a crock..." Nero muttered. "And you may as well ditch the efforts pal, because His Holiness is dead."

"Ahhh... but His Holiness has been reborn. As an Angel."

"An angel...?" Nero shook his head skeptically.

"And soon, soon, so shall I?" Agnus once again bowed.

Blinking, you noticed a Bianca Angelo appeared by your side before charging at Nero. "NERO!!"

It was too late, the lance impaled through Nero to your horror, and he was pinned to the wall, the Bianca Angelo pulled away before two more appeared and pinned Nero's arms so he hung on them. You watched in pure horror, why couldn't you do anything right? Why were you so... so weak?!

"See what just a small fraction of my research has yielded? Look! How beautiful this white armor stands! You have no idea the hardship, to make just one armor come to life! I had to capture and control countless demons to harness their souls. Summoning them alone was almost an insurmountable task!"

"Summoning...? So it was you... who made the gate?!" Nero glares up at Agnus.

"Yes, yes, the Hellgate!" Angus said in an excited tone. "I created it merely as a reference in substitution for the real Gate, but after utilizing an extremely powerful Devil's Arm, it proved sufficient."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nero

"You..." Agnus began as he glared at Nero, reaching his hand out and one of the demonic swords that pinned you came and landed in his hand "Should rest."

"No... No!... NERO!!" you cried out, tears in your eyes.

"Soon, you shall be my next subject of experimentation, so that I can learn a little something from you.. and that arm."

"Never...!" Nero spits on Agnus, blood landing on the scientists cheek, which he earned for the blade to plunge deeper before Agnus took it out.

"T-t-t-t-take him out." Agnus ordered the Bianca Angelos before moving to his next subject; You!

Nero bowed his head, followed by darkness and he heard the echoes...

* * *

**Nero's POV**

_"Kyrie, run!"_

_A scream._

_"Nero!"_

_Another scream, only different._

_"Belle! Kyrie!"_

_There was only silence._

_"NOOOOOOoooooo!!"_

Nero's eyes awoken from the darkness, a blue aura surrounded his body but his eyes, no longer of the usual steel grey but of a glowing vermillion. A little feet away, the glowing and floating katana as the two broken pieces inched together before they finally combined and flew towards Nero's open devil bringer.

Belle's eyes widen in shock, making Agnus look back before he blown away from a bright light but transforming into a beetle like demon with a golden halo over his head, and one red eye glowing. The one demonic sword holding the young Knightress (Is that even a word? If so, it's mine! DX), pulled away and disappeared, making the girl fall to her feet then her knees and bottom. She stared at all the white feathers floating, falling to the ground before she turned to the demon next to her.

Belle looked back when a figure staggered from beyond the lab towards the shattered window, her eyes wide to see a demonic shadow looming over her childhood friend and that sword that she had seen glowing earlier looked new! She was startled by the demon Agnus next to her as he shouted towards Nero.

**"How...?! Not even I could succeed in restoring it...!"**

**"From that day forth... my arm changed..."** Nero spoke, his voice sounded as if echoed in a deeper voice. **"... and a voice echoed... "Power... Give me more power!"..."**

**"What...?!"** Agnus, confused of the youth's speech.

**"And if I become a demon, so be it!"** Nero staggered on. **"I will endure the exile... Anything to protect them!"**

Nero gave a demonic roar as he swung the blade, Agnus let out a shriek, at the same time Belle's hair blew from the force of the attack's wind. She was surprised that the attack was inches from her side, almost having sliced through her but it did leave her a large scratch on her cheek and blood flooded down freely. Agnus observed the damage of the roof it left on his research facility before he turned to Nero.

**"This is preposterous! Preposterous!"** Agnus shouted at Nero before the shell of his back opened to reveal his wings and they flapped before he flew through the open exit and off to the unknown.

Belle was left alone now, in the mercy of the demonic Nero. Nero glanced her way, staggering towards her, off the shattered window and towards her kneeling form, his red eyes glaring down at her drooping, exhausted eyes. When Nero stood near her, Belle felt her energy seem to drain away, the pressure of the air was growing heavy and making her light-headed and her breathing short from the lack of oxygen.

"N-Nero..."

She fainted.


	7. Soyez bienvenus à la Jungle

A/N:Wow, last one was pretty long and fantastic huh? I hope so, I wanna have some reviews for this and I appreciate you reviewers for your support, thank you! Okay, I left you guys after the fight with Agnus and the new discovery of Nero's power of the Devil Trigger and to Belle seeing memories... you guys wanna see more memories? Then let's do it! Okay, enjoy my second chapter and sorry this is short!

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

_It was in the middle of an ocean, it seems, and a large boat with bright lights containing it filled with numerous people who were having a blast. The ship happened to be a casino type, where gamblers came and go to win money or lose it and it becomes very addictive. Inside the ship, the same man in the trenchcoat, who carried a guitar case, led the same blond girl, who wore a bright pink dress, and the other little dark-haired girl, wearing a white dress, followed the man._

_They followed the man into a room where there had been a group of people sitting around a poker table. And one of them the two girls recognized as the silver-haired man in a red and black suit and red coat. Among the gamblers there stood the woman in a formal tux without the jacket, she had short hair, a scar across the bridge of her nose with one eye blue and the other maroon._

_The little girl watched with curiousity as the blond girl excitedly told her about the game of poker, then the silver-haired man looked up from his cards towards the dark-haired girl before giving her a smirk and wink before looking back down, leaving the little one to smile, trusting the man in red to win on the mission to find "King"._

* * *

Gasping, you sat up where you layed and held your forehead with eyes wide and panting. A dream but... it didn't seem like it... it felt like... a memory? No, no way, you had no past. You looked around and realized your in the same lace where-

Your eyes widen, looking around for Agnus or the demonic Nero, but you flinch from the hand resting on your shoulder and move away and look back to see Nero resting against a wall and watching you with a blank face. His hand was held up where he had rested it on your shoulder but seeing as you had scampered away, he put it down and lowered his head and stared at the ground. You stare at him, a bit afraid of what happened before shakily asking,

"Nero...? What happened?"

Nero stared at the ground, not answering.

"... Nero?" you whispered, pleading for an answer.

"I hurt you."

You blinked, then remembered the attack and touched your cheek to feel it covered by a bandage. You look back to Nero before hesitantly crawling back and sitting beside him, resting your head on his shoulder before hiding your face and letting small tears fall. You felt arms slowly wrap around you before they pulled you closer to him and your felt something rest on your head but you didn't care, you only cried away your fear for not of Nero but for him in his future with the Order along with Kyrie and Credo...

* * *

**Later**

Things were not the same between you and Nero. Nero had kept his distance and you were silent, not once ever did you complain or same anything like you always did to just humor yourself and him but after what happened, it was awkward now. Making your way through the building of the lower castle since Nero has made the bridge through the waterfall that you has seen a few times, the water was blocked from above, giving you and Nero time to climb to the top of the castle and cross the bridge.

Through the building did you and Nero find some things horrific and most disturbing. The guards of the Order you had worked with were found in cages, being experimented on and their demonic faces hidden in their hoods. You and Nero would deal with the Bianca Angelo troops but they were disposed and Nero and you ventured on through the castle to the reach where the bridge was.

You watched the bridge hesitantly, wondering if the continuation of the mission was even worth it but looking at Nero, he seemed to be determined to track down the man in red a.k.a. Dante. That man looked familiar, that fighting style looked familiar, and that name sounded familiar! Why is everything about that man seemingly so familiar to you but you couldn't recall when and where, how and why, or anything of the matter.

"C'mon!"

You shot up from your daze and see Nero half way on the bridge, looking back at you in waiting and you followed and he returned his trek to the tunnel ahead. Just as he was inside, you jumped from the bridge that began to pull in and your eyes widen when the walls that held the water back were being pulled up, you quickly ran towards the tunnel and missed the wet pounding of gallaons and gallons of water and panted from the excitement.

"That's what you get for day dreaming." Nero commented, not making a face.

You stared back at him for a moment, wondering if he was trying to get back things to the way you were. When you had made no reply from his comment, he began to feel unfomtable from the awkwardness, berating himself mentally to think he could return things to normal after what happened back in Agnus' lab, that was until-

**_Smack!_**

"Shut up! I don't need a damn lecture you old hag!"

Oh it was good to hear that sweet, bratty voice of yours.

"What the hell did you call me?!?" Nero yelled with eyes wide and teeth gritting.

"Nyah!" you mocked him with your tongue sticking out before turning away and walking on through the tunnel.

"Hey! Don't you walk away from me!"

From the minutes of walking, you turn to Nero slightly and smile when he looked calm and back to his old self instead of the unusual "doom and gloom" he had been setting off after the incident in the research lab. You smiled to yourself and looked ahead only to narrow your eyes in suspicion before your eyes widen to feel and see the bright light of the warmth at the end of the tunnel and by the time you and Nero were out of the tunnel, you both were perplexed of the new environtment.

"A forest...?" Nero mumbled as he took a look at the cliff.

"More like a freakin' jungle!!" you shout.

There was a sigh.

You and Nero looked at eachother in confusion before looking back and to both your surprise, there stood Dante, looking over the cliff and off into the distant miles of the jungle.

"What the hell is this?!"

_'That's what I wanna know...'_ you thought with a sweatdrop.

"Heh. Must be the effect of the gate." he muttered.

"Damn..." you mutter but freeze when Dante turned to you and Nero but he was more focused on you but of course, Nero stepped in front of you to guard you.

"Pretty nice catch you got yourself, eh, Belle?" you heard Dante say, making you jump in front of Nero while jabbing a finger towards the man in red.

"Who the hell are you and how do ya know me?! You been stalking me?! Digging through me trash?!" you demand, ignoring Dante's words but Nero of course blushed from the implications the older man said.

"Why would dig through your trash?" the older man asked with a dumbfounded expression.

"... I honestly have no idea..." you mutter.

"Oh yeah, like he's really into your collection of stupid drawings!" Nero sarcastically remarked.

**_Smack!_**

"OW!!"

"Shut up, those are cute drawings and YOU were the ones throwing them away!"

"So I wouldn't be haunted by staring at your crappy drawings! I was doing your a favor!"

**_SMACK!_**

"STOP HITTING ME!!" Nero loomed over you with an angry expression.

"STOP BEING A JERK!!" you shouted as you and Nero's forehead pressed harshly in anger.

Dante could have sword he saw electricity sparked between your's and Nero's eyes as the air turned deadly as if an atom bomb was about to be unleashed.

"This is the best teenage drama I've ever seen." Dante said, amusement laced in his voice. "Please continue."

"You... I felt like I met you somewhere before." you say, serious now. "Tell me something."

The least to say, Dante was sort of surprised from your foward question and watched you, studying you, observing you. His eyes looked looked directly to your face, you definantly have the same honey-colored eyes he remembered and your beauty was something of an awe. His eyes moved to Nero, who glared at him, the older man instantly knew this must have been a close friend... but Dante caught something in the youth's eyes and he pulled back his own steel eyes towards you and a smile made way to his lips that surprised you.

"Sorry kid, this is gonna have to wait." Dante said before walking back towards the cliff.

"No! WAIT!!" you shout and run after him but Nero stops you and you both watch as Dante free fell towards the trees forest before he disappeared. "Dammit...!"

"C'mon Belle... let's go." Nero said as he pulled you with him and you followed.

Nero couldn't help but recongnize that look Dante gave him when all eyes were on him. Dante smiled knowingly and Nero couldn't help but turn slightly red, for the first time thankful his skin was already red from your slapping. He just hoped the bastard didn't say anything to make things awkward between you and himself or else he would personally dispatch the man with Red Queen, Blue Rose, AND the twin Gun Blades...


	8. Elle Frappe!

A/N:Okay, I know it's been a long time since you guys have seen another chapter but I finally made another and I hope this will let you know that this story is not a bust and I am deeply sorry for the last chapter having to be so small but of course, there was finally an interaction between the "Man in Red" and Belle, course Nero had to ruin is (that party pooper), and as of why Nero is commenting how suckish Belle's drawings were... well...

When I see Belle and Nero together, I see Rukia and Ichigo. Hah, I guess that'll give ya hint that involves Chappy the Bunny, but of course, what Nero meant was because of the chibiness that Belle draws when she's trying to explain something. You know what, as of now on, when Nero becomes confused of something, she'll pull a drawing pad out of nowhere and draw a chibi Nero (who gets pissed off for looking adorable) and some outher shit that goes down. Enjoy!

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the DMC series that Capcom owns, I only own my OC Belle Matre!

* * *

In another place, there was a grand meeting, a secret between in the order that two youthful Knights were unaware of. footsteps circled the round table before taking a seat next to a man who was presumed dead to the world outside the whereabouts. The meeting had been of the great plan that was soon to be coming, the excitement could be lingering around the air but there needed to be pacience in order for this mission to be executed in precise.

"... and that's the situation so far." Credo finished.

**_SLAM!_**

Credo glanced to the side with little interest, his irritation grew when rushing footsteps head towards him, he knew those arrogant footsteps and those angry huffs. Closing his eyes to calmly hold back not to slice the scientist in half, Agnus came closer until he halted by the General's side, looking down at him angerily.

"CREDO! You knew it all along!" accused the mad scientist.

Standing up, Credo turned to Agnus calmly. "How dare you raise your voice, in the presence of His Holiness."

"That arrogant kid possess d-d-d-demonic power!"

"Absurbed!" Credo had no idea what the lunatic was babbling on about.

This was Nero the idiot scientist was talking about, the youth with the bad attitude he grew up with and looked after when Kyrie and his family took him in, and the boy he entrusted to look after Belle when on the mission after the man in red. There was no way in the Heaven or Hell that Nero would be in possession of some power without him knowing, there just couldn't be.

"Absurbed?!" Agnus snarled. "D-d-d-don't play me a fool!"

Oh how the General wished toe freely dispose the incompetant man.

"Is he not your subordinant?!" urged the scientist. "He ressurected Yamato!"

What? That was impossible! Sure, Nero did a lot of surprising things but that was something beyond. Yamato was the most prized and most sacred Devils Arm that ever came in possession of the Order of the Swords. But of course, being a looney, the scientist could be trying to get under his skin, make him do a move that would have him kicked out and have Agnus promoted.

"It's your fault!" sneered the scientist. "It's your responsibility! It's-"

"Credo."

Agnus instantly snapped his mouth shut just in time before Credo would consider to take punishment if it meant killing Agnus right then and there. Credo moved his attention to Sanctus, who had been listening, of course, everyone around the table listened seeing as Agnus had been practically yelling to the whole world of his problems. Credo moved past the stuttering scientist, and by the side of his precious leader.

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"Can you apprehend this boy?"

His Holiness wasn't serious about finding these words come true about Nero, were they? Giving a quick glare at Agnus, who looked smug of having His Holiness take his side on this case, Credo nodded hesitantly. He may have had his rough days with the brat, but Nero was still family, a kid brother who had an attitude of a mad rhino with it's horns chopped of to impale someone, but of course in Nero's case, he never did need a horn to kill somebody. He did it perfectly fine with his hands, Credo had been first seat to find Nero strangle some fellow Knight that had commented on how Nero dyed his hair to make himself look old, the guy was in the hospital for about a month.

"If that is your wish... Though, who will track down Dante?"

"I will find Dante."

All eyes were directed to the member of the Order. A familiar woman with white hair cut short just below her ears, light blue eyes and dark skin that seemed to reveal almost most of her private parts. Credo never understood why women these days tended to go around wearing revealing dresses, he could only imagine if Nero ever met Gloria (which, unknown to Credo, already have met), course he could imagine his sister, Kryie screaming and looking embarassed, and finally last but not least, Belle would scramble away, hide behind someone, then yell for the girl to put on more decent clothes.

"You can garentee his capture then?" asked the old leader.

"Absolutely." she nodded, standing before turning and giving a bow towards the elder, raising her head. "It's good to see His Holiness has recovered."

Watching her leave, Credo still felt an air of suspicion over the woman, waiting as she left by turning the corner, he turned to Sanctus, "Is she reliable?"

"She once brought us the sword, "_Sparda_" and hastened the completion of our Saviour."

"But she remains almost a strange... to all of us." Credo weakly argued, he didn't want to sound like another annoying Agnus.

"Which will only concern us should the situation arise. As for her identity, I've already investigated." Credo only sighed quietly, staring off into some hallway before a hand gently patted his own gloved one, turning to Sanctus who put on a gentle smile. "Now Credo. Find us Nero and Yamato and bring them back to me."

"As you wish Your Holiness." Credo bowed before leaving the table.

Watching the General leave, Agnus leaned closer to the old priest. The scientist held information that Credo himself did not know and for good reasons, having being concerned around not only of the white-haired Knight, but around the young girl that accompanied the demon possesser.

"That menance, Nero, seems to be quite close to Credo's sister, Kyrie. More than once, he called out her name... as well for Matre."

At the mention of Belle's name, Sanctus narrowed his eyes. It was strange, having the girl, a low ranking Knight being on an assignment of going after Dante. That was something only of high status knights would go on after the legendary Devil Hunter, but sending the girl was ridiculous. But of course, it grew more suspicious of why Credo did send her, why her, the most prized possession, would be suitable for tracking Dante?

Unless... Credo knew something of Belle's connection with Dante...

* * *

"... and so, whenever you go on a hunt for Scarecrows, always remember to burn down a few crops to make sure there aren't disguised as the ones in the farm."

Nero blinked, taking in information of battle tatics when you and him continued through the jungle. You had... odd ways to luring the enemy out, something about even trapping a Scarecrow with the use of Peanut Butter. How ridiculous is that?! You were leading the way this time, and he followed behind, listening to your crazy stories with the other Knights, how the other Knights put up with you during that time was beyond him, although he was starting to dislike one Knight that was starting to get fresh with you (without you even knowing).

"And then there was that one time when Credo and me-"

"Got into a make-out session." Nero couldn't help but cut in to joke, but froze when he realized said it and was expecting to get slapped.

Out of a miracle, you did not turn around and slapped him, instead, you turned your head slight but not fully to face him. Nero watched with wide eyes, cautious to avoid being hurt, watching as you opened your mouth and the next words blew him away and left hims speechless.

"So what if we did?" you shrugged.

"WHAT?!?"

You smirked and turned away, walking foward to continue through the jungle, leaving Nero standing there dumbfounded and flabbergasted before he composed himself and followed after you quickly. Questions came through his head, so many of them that they could spill out like a waterfall from his mouth (ewww). You only kept smiling, secretly laughing inside, of course you did not kiss Credo (although you secretly wish it did happen), you loved the reaction you got from Nero. You were stopped when you were whirled around and forced to face a red-faced Nero.

"You-you... When?!"

"Hmmm... About a week ago."

"That was when everyone was at the Fortuna Festival! Me and Kyrie waited for you and Credo, but you guys were 15 minutes late!" Nero's eyes widen, suddenly realizing the reason why you and the General were late that one night.

Honestly, you had been late and held back since you were taking long with the reports on your last mission. And being a kind gentlemen to a woman in distress, Credo stayed behind to help with the report and with his help, you were able to finish before going home with him dress up for the festival and headed to meet up everyone. It made your face red when the General was leaning over, near you, as you sat on the chair to write your reports, and it was sweet of him to be your guide at the festival.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" demanded Nero.

"Why would you want to know?" you asked innocently, blinking.

You were beginning to seem very confused, sure it was funny at first but when seeing Nero have some strange look in his eye and the tight grip his hands had on your bare shoulders, it was beginning to make you curious what was going on. Nero, ever since you were small, only picked on you, protected you from bullies, and acted like the older brother. You had known for some time that the young man held a deep feeling for Kyrie, but when joking around of having been in an intimate relationship with the General, things suddenly changed when Nero seemed to be very put off from the lie.

"I have the right know!" Nero nearly shouted. "Credo... Credo's a total jackass and I bet he's just messing around! I mean, you don't mean THAT much!"

"Nero...?"

Nero's eyes widen from his mistake of wrong words, he looked up at you, having been bowing his head for you to not see the deep blush that was over his cheeks. You stared at him with wide eyes, tears beginning to swell, and he found his grasp empty when you turned and ran off furiously into the jungle. Nero cursed under his breathe, that's not what he meant, he didn't mean it like that way! Not in a way to hurt you, never hurt you, you were too important for that!

"Belle! BELLE!!"

And with that Nero, chased after you, but cursed more angerily of having lost you in the jungle.

* * *

**Back to You**

_'That... that jerk! Saying things like that! Especially to Credo!'_

You sniffled, rubbing furiously of the tears that fell as you sat on an empty stump of a tree. You set your weapons aside, trying to calm your breathing, your ears ringing from the harsh words that Nero said. It was only to be a joke and only ended up you crying and Nero lost somewhere in the jungle, but you didn't care about that jerk anymore. He had been nothing but mean to you ever since the beginning of the mission.

"That jerk." you whimper.

"Ah boy, to make a girl like you cry because of that damn kid, that's gotta be a crime."

_'Huh?!'_

You jump almost 3 ft. in air before whirling around to face familiar steel blue eyes. You tried to pull your twin Gun Blades but only realize they were next to the man in red, who was leaning on his sword that was almost as long as his body. You tried to think of a way to get your weapons without getting killed, you were considering to run and find Nero to help, but then when remembering what he did, you refused to go towards that jerk.

"Hey, hey... I ain't gonna bite." the man raised his hand in a small defense.

"Wh-what are you doing here?! Didn't you say you had some other things you had to do?" you demand. "Besides that, by the Order of the Sword, you've been causing trouble and you're gonna have to come quietly and face your crimes you did, especially killing off His Holiness!"

"Wow, such a authority!" laughed the older man. "If I didn't know you, I would have been turned on. Especially if you pull out some cuffs and wore a bit of tight black leather and a whip."

You could only gape at what the pervert listed on, making you blush deeply. You were too busy gawking to realize that the man in red came closer under you found your chin, lifted to close your open mouth. Your eyes widen at the closeness the man had, he seemed to be leaning over you, a seductive smirk over his features made you flush even more, you quickly back away, stuttering. You reached your weapons and aimed them at the man before you.

"You-you pervert! You have a sick mind, you should be ashamed!" you weakly cry out.

"Aww, did I make ya blush, you look so cute like that." he grinned, inching closer.

"Hey! Back away, I'm gonna blow you brains out! I'm gonna do it!" you warn him. "Then I'm gonna drag your fatass body to the Order!"

"Hey!" he sounded offended. "This isn't fat, these are muscles!"

"Whatever floats your boat, you perverted old man!" you narrowed your eyes, now serious. "Surrender now, come quietly and walk with me to the Order."

Noticing how serious you sounded, his playful demeanor changed as well, not being serious but not jokingly. Almost like between the two, he stared at you calmly, not saying or moving as he was being aimed from your twin Gun Blades. Out of nowhere, he began to walk bravely towards you, right where your guns where aiming for, your eyes widen and you began to slowly back away, still aiming at him.

"Stop right there! I'm warning you!" but he still walked.

**_BANG!!_**

"That was a warning shot!" you shout, having missed his head by a few inches, but the idiot man still came for you.

**_BANG!!_**

You missed again.

_'Why am I hesitating? Just shoot him Belle!'_

**_BANG!!_**

Again, you missed.

_'What is wrong with me?!'_

**_BANG!!_**

**_BANG!!_**

**_BANG!!_**

"I said STOP-"

You were cut off when gloved hands took your wrists, your eyes watered slightly as they stared in shock of the white-haired foe, who looked down at you. Having the sun being behind him, it shadowed the front of his face, and it was slightly intimidating, but the man made no move of harm, and instead made you drop your twin Gun Blades. With one hand, your wrists were held, and his other grabbed you by the chin and forced you foward so your face was only a few inches away from his, and you were scared of what was to come next.

"C'mon Belle... Don't you remember me?" he asked softly. "These guys, your so-called friends, the damn Order of the Sword, they brain-washed you with lies."

_'What?!'_

"And this island, where you think it's a paradise... It's all a fake." he continued. "This isn't your home, this place isn't for you to be in."

_'What is he saying...?!'_

"You gotta remember me, sweetheart." urged the older man, his face leaning a bit more before it seemed his lips could barely touch yours. "Dammit, remember me!"

"I-I don't know you!" you closed your eyes, no longer brave to face him.

"..."

"..."

"I swear... I will get you out of this illusion babe, I swear."

You opened your eyes slowly, hesitantly but your surprised to see the retreating back of Dante, and he disappeared further into the jungle. The breath you held in finally came out and collapsed on your knees and bottom, all the tension made you feel weak and vunerable from the encounter. Your thoughts of why you had been chosen for this job was jumbling, Nero was better of alone without having to look after you all the time, you caused him enough trouble...

But at the same time, it was a good thing he did take you along. All these visions of a silver-haired youth, a blond girl, a blond demoness, and raven-haired woman with different set of eye colors, and an old man... These images were haunting you, beckoning you towards the man you had just encountered only moments ago. What was the meaning of this journey now? Why was it not about the capture of this man? There was something fishy going about in the Order, and even though you were facing an enemy, you couldn't help but feel as though his words were something of the truth and it was about time you needed to think for yourself... and not of the Order of the Sword.

_'Sorry Credo, Kyrie... Nero.'_

And you were off...

* * *

**Nero's POV**

He practically felt as though he had torn the forest apart in search of the lost Knightress he so desperately needed to find. Nero had said a lot of things in his time but not once, did he recall, did he ever say that she didn't mean anything to anyone in the matter, in fact, she meant everything to Kryie and Credo... even to himself. By God, she was the most important thing in the goddamn world if anything, just as important she was to Kyrie, Belle may never hear it but he really did care that much.

And ever since the beginning of this mission, his feelings were beginning to be questioned now. Sure, it wasn't the right time to think of things like that but right now he felt the need to come to conclusions and since she was gone, it gave him all the time in the world not to be caught in a daze, he needed to really think hard or else this whole thing would blow up in his face at a certian point in the midst of chaos and destruction.

Did he deeply, truly love Kyrie?

... or Belle?

There was no more denial this time, this was a feeling that had been bottled up since he layed eyes on her, how lost and confused she was in the strange new world that was presented to her. Over the years, she was watched over, cared for, loved deeply by Kyrie and Credo and he, being a knuckle-head that everyone called him back then, picked on her to keep the girl on her toes and titled himself a guardian against those who would try and hurt her.

She didn't deserve that, after witnessing one of the trainings that he and Credo would go through, she became so interested in the way of the Knights, she begged the older guardians to enroll her and after some persuasion, she was accepted and they celebrated for her with a small family party. And from then on, Nero saw himself less and less of her being his guardian, sure they would run into eachother but it was growing less.

And she grew older, more wiser, more cautious... more beautiful. There was some random women in the Order but there was none other like Belle Matre. Although she had the status of a fighting demon slayer, she held no such malice and rough edge at first glance or meeting, she was always kind and gentle and so soothing. People would never assume her to be a Knight unless she was in her uniform, they would actually be baffled that an innocent looking girl would actually be a Devil Hunting Knight.

Nero's blood boiled when all the memories now directed between Belle and the "great" General Credo, sure Nero had some respect but the guy was so damn infuriating (hypocrite)! And... and it wasn't fair! Credo was Belle's idol and secret admiror, she adored him and looked up to him, and she even admitted to having an intimate moment with the man (which we all know is a lie, remember?)! He felt like he wanted to find Credo and punch the living daylights out of him, punching him until he skull cracked and what was left of him was a flat head but he knew he would never, he was Kyrie's older brother... and Belle's love interest.

He would never... ever want to hurt them. No matter how much he wanted to, their feelings were the first to consider.

Nero had gone through the jungle, going through some abandoned temple filled with Scarecrows and other creatures, also there was a demon that attached itself onto the Scarescrow and they would combine to make a formidable foe. He really wished Belle was hear, she was a bookworm thus she knew how to handle the situation by easily pinpointing the weaknesses but he had to do it the hard way and found himself adorned with various cuts and scratches.

After the temple, he had to find his way through some weird trees, so he had to go around by climbing the stairs and slicing the circles with glowing arrows to have floating platforms and transported him to the otherside. Once outside, he was in some cliffside mountian but seeing the glowing orbs he used the devil bringer to use and flew over the cliffs with ease, only to find another circle to slice and more platforms disappear but these were tricky, they would disappear and only leave only a few behind for him to stand and he didn't need to fall. Below he could see specks of demons waiting to slice him apart and much as he loved a challenge, he still had a job to do, and the Mephisto's that appeared were not making things easy for him.

_'Dammit! Don't worry Belle, I'm coming for ya!'_

Easier said than done.

* * *

**Back to You**

Traveling in a jungle is a lot harder than what the actors do in a movie, you don't just need a machete, you need a chainsaw if you ever hoped to get by! Running into some demons, Scarecrows and Assaults but sometimes there would be an occasion when they would be possessed by a Chimera Seed which turns them into Chimeras, and they were difficult, but they would be handled from long distance attacks with your twin Gun Blades.

You were in some temple garden where there was random bridges, some were broken and others were able to pass through. You were attacked, left and right by the demons but you weren't giving up easily, you've been trained almost your whole life since the beginning of joining the Order, you were not as strong and most powerful but you damn smart enough in battle tactics!

_**Bang!**_

_**Bang!**_

_**Bang!**_

_**Thud!**_

You sighed heavily as you watched a Scarecrow disappear after being killed, you looked up ahead and narrowed your eyes to see the sight of dark clouds forming, whatever was going, you knew you were getting close to the source of trouble and the chill in your spine that tingled when you entered a battle with Berial and that demon frog, you had a deep hunch you were against a powerful Devil.

_'Oh Sparda, please give me some strength...!'_

You gulped before bravely walking foward towards the open trail that was free of demons, you were surprised that none even surprised you with a sneak attack but you went ahead. This Devil would surely kill you, but you had to proceed and go on towards the next area to catch up with everyone in HQ, you honestly never been there but from what you heard, it was a huge castle.

Stepping foward, you walked up some stairs and past two pillars before standing in front of a gaping green glowing gate (say that 4 times really fast! XD), your honey brown eyes inspected it. Where would the demon pop out now, you wondered, and when? Before you could get a closer look, you hear a tremor behind and looked back to only dodge in time form a open mouth that brushed past you with great speed. You rolled before standing up and pulling out your Gun Blades and aiming them both towards the flying creature.

It was a plant-like serpent, it's flower-head was actually the jaws of death. Your eyes narrowed when seeds shot out to random directions, seeds that looked similar to what the Chimera Seeds would pop out from and attack you randomly or even posses a demon to do the job. Finally, the serpent swept down but curled a bit to have it's jaws open and to your surpise, a demoness rose from the back of the throat, her pale blue skin bright and her antennas wavering around behind her her and her fangs snarling dangerously towards you, and her eyes glaring venemously.

**"Well, well..."** she began, her voice sort of pitched. **"what do we have here?"**

"..."

**"And what does a human think she is doing, wandering alone in such a big bad forest as this?"** the she-viper chuckled, amused as she floated foward, and you stepped back, still aiming at her head.

"Back off, demon!" you warn her.

**"You think those weapons will actually hurt me, little girl?!"** scoffed the demon.

"It's worth a shot!"

**"It's worth a shot of being killed, sweetheart!"**

You were surprised when you did not notice a tail sneaking behind you before it was too late, you were wrapped tightly, constricted like a mouse about to be eaten by a giant snake! You struggled but it was no use, the she-viper had a strong grip and she wasn't letting go anytime soon. You stopped when you came face-to-face with the she-devil, your eyes narrowed and you glared visciously, which made her laugh in response of your "_tough guy_" act.

**"You humans really are worthless!"** she laughed.

"Argh...! Nngh!" you were feeling your ribs being crushed, she was puting a lot of pressure to squeeze you to death.

**"What was that?"** she leaned in, grinning with her fangs. **"I couldn't hear you, speak up!"**

"At least I don't have issues of a guy asking me out while you're alone." you pant out.

**"You bitch!"** the she-viper raised her razor sharp claws to slap you like any angry woman would when she was insulted but before her nails could reach your face, her wrist was caught by a stretched demonic glowing hand. **"What the...?!"**

_'It... It can't be...!'_

"Hey, all though I like to see a good cat fight, I like it between normal people, not little girls and ugly crazy bitches!" shouted a familiar voice you thought you had left behind.

"Nero!" you gasp as you see him, his hand stretched to catching the wrist.

"The one and only!" he smirked.

**"Grrr...!"**

"Agh!"

The she-viper grew angry of the insults and her grip on you loosened and you fell but before reaching the ground, you were caught in the strong arms of your friend. Landing a few feet away, he placed you on your rear near your weapons, you were slightly injured from the pressure grip she held on you and your red marks were to prove it. Nero stared at you for a long moment before turning away and towards the she-viper who gone in to swallow Nero whole but was dodged and he found himself grabbing her by the hyde (sp?).

Flying around in the air, he held on and began to punch the skin but was hit by some branches of tree when she flew by them to rid Nero off her. But the silver-haired Knight was stubborn and caught her by the end of the tail, holding on before he stood and ran down her body, roaring loudly as he came closer, dodging trees and duck branches before he jumped off and used a tree to push himself in the air and towards her head to make a good punch-

**_Swat!_**

"Ack!"

You stiffled a giggle when a seed came out of nowhere and hit Nero before he could hit the demon. He was flying and the demon seemed to turn the tables on him as she fired more seeds as if they were her missles. Pulling out the Blue Rose, Nero shot the seeds aiming towards him before landing on the ground and the demon finally revealed herself as she angerily glared down at Nero.

**"My children! You bastard!"** she hissed as she charged but only collided with the ground to find nothing.

Nero landed on the connected pillars you had earlier walked through, seemingly to pretend in ignoring her and examine his guns. You rolled your eyes at him, he was so cocky, it made you turn sorta green in jealousy of how casual he could take the fight in and just flick the demon away so easily.

"Sorry, but having you around is more than enough."

**"Your insignificant insults have no effect on me! Though I will tear your body to shreds!"**

She charged and Nero jumped from the pillars, heading in for the fight with Blue Rose ready to shoot and Red Queen prepared to be used in slicing the demon. As they fought, you looked down at yourself to see the red marks had strangely grown more red and they began to burn, you hissed quiety as you hugged yourself lightly, flinching when the dark clouds gathered and lightening flashed. You weakly grabbed your medic pouch, looking towards Nero as he battle the demon, this was actually the second time you stayed out of a fight, the first being in the laboratory.

_'If Nero hadn't come along, I'd be dead long ago.'_

There were moments when Nero had to dodge roll to avoid being captured in her jaws when she flew around the arena and attacking randomly, or when she would plant herself in the ground and throw more seeds for the Chimera Seeds to attack Nero but they were easily dispatched and finally there would be when she planted herself more deeper in the ground and attacked with her deadly tentacle vines. At the last attack, she was actually vunerable when Nero would attack her as she was planted and with the help of his demonic power, he was succeeding in beating her.

At the last moment, the demon turned golden to final mode, trying to fight off Nero but of course, no one stood a chance against Nero. With one final strike from Yamato, the katana that Nero had possessed, the demon crashed into the forest from where you and Nero came from, Nero stood his ground, arms crossed and glaring at where she was, growling in annoyanced from her shrieking. You flinch as she suddenly slid through the pillar entrance and right towards Nero.

"Nero...!" you shout, worried.

But to your surprise, the demon passed by Nero but of course the silver-haired Knight was not gonna let the demon go that easily after the trouble she caused.

"Don't even think about it!" Nero was quick to use the devil bringer to catch her by the tip of her tail.

**"How shameful to be beaten by a human...!"**

Twisting her body, Nero's grip slipped and she disappeared through the Hell gate, making the door seal shut and everything in the area quiet.

"Hey, don't step up if you're not gonna put up a decent fight."

You spot something as a small object fell to thr ground before Nero's feet before he bent over and picked it up with his devil bringer, something he had a habit to do when he wasn't sure what the hell the thing was and instead grab it with his demonic hand instead of his human hand.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to litter?"

He was silenced as the object in his hand disappeared in his arm, like most things that had when they came into his hand. He glanced at the strange trees you had seen at the temple one time when crossing through and wondered if he could now take them down with his new gain power. Your attention was snapped out when you feel someone grab your shoulder, you jump slightly when you come face-to-face with a stern face of a familiar Knight.

"Uh..." you look away, down at your lap. "Look, I'm-"

"I'm sorry."

You look back up at Nero, he was staring at your lap instead, not staring at your face any longer. You were confused before you mind came back the little fight, saying those horrible words that hurt you deeply. You look down at yourself and see the stinging of the red mark growing slightly, you hissed lightly which caught the attention of Nero.

"Belle!"

"Don't worry," you shake your head, dismissing it. "you go on ahead to HQ, I'll catch up."

"No, Belle-"

"Nero!" you snap for his attention. "Trust me, go on ahead. There might be trouble, just go ahead."

"..."

"Please, go."

Nero nodded, standing up and heading towards HQ before stopping and giving one last glance towards you before heading towards the new road he made from his new power and like predicted, he tore down the tree from view and went on forth. You watched him one last time as he disappeared in the jungle towards HQ before closing your eyes and fainting in the black...


End file.
